DDT and Breast Cancer in Young Women: New Data on the Significance of Age at Exposure

Abstract

BackgroundPrevious studies of DDT and breast cancer assessed exposure later in life when the breast may not have been vulnerable, after most DDT had been eliminated, and after DDT had been banned.ObjectivesWe investigated whether DDT exposure in young women during the period of peak DDT use predicts breast cancer.MethodsWe conducted a prospective, nested case–control study with a median time to diagnosis of 17 years using blood samples obtained from young women during 1959–1967. Subjects were members of the Child Health and Development Studies, Oakland, California, who provided blood samples 1–3 days after giving birth (mean age, 26 years). Cases (n = 129) developed breast cancer before the age of 50 years. Controls (n = 129) were matched to cases on birth year. Serum was assayed for p,p′-DDT, the active ingredient of DDT; o,p′-DDT, a low concentration contaminant; and p,p′-DDE, the most abundant p,p′-DDT metabolite.ResultsHigh levels of serum p,p′-DDT predicted a statistically significant 5-fold increased risk of breast cancer among women who were born after 1931. These women were under 14 years of age in 1945, when DDT came into widespread use, and mostly under 20 years as DDT use peaked. Women who were not exposed to p,p′-DDT before 14 years of age showed no association between p,p′-DDT and breast cancer (p = 0.02 for difference by age).ConclusionsExposure to p,p′-DDT early in life may increase breast cancer risk. Many U.S. women heavily exposed to DDT in childhood have not yet reached 50 years of age. The public health significance of DDT exposure in early life may be large.

Common cancer in a wild animal: the California sea lion ( Zalophus californianus ) as an emerging model for carcinogenesis

“…Environmental contaminants, particularly those of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and organochlorine (OC) groups of compounds, have been implicated in the aetiology of various cancers in humans [40][41][42], in laboratory animal models [43] and in wildlife [44][45][46]. These ubiquitous persistent pollutants, found in both the terrestrial and marine environments, have arisen through the widespread use of industrial chemicals such as the polychlorinated biphenyls (found in capacitors and transformers) and pesticides such as DDT.…”

Prevention: Air of danger

“…The Child Health and Development Studies (CHDS) have found that women who have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in their blood immediately after giving birth have a tripled risk of developing breast cancer nearly two decades later 7 . The pesticide DDT has an even greater effect 8 .…”

Adipose tissue concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and total cancer risk in an adult cohort from Southern Spain: Preliminary data from year 9 of the follow-up

“…Some epidemiological evidence has been published on the link between human exposure to POPs and the risk of certain types of cancer (Boada et al, 2012;Brauner et al, 2012b;Cohn et al, 2012;Cohn et al, 2007;McGlynn et al, 2008;Recio-Vega et al, 2011;Xu et al, 2010).…”