It’s official, the science proves the link between air pollution and breast cancer. The reason for these results: study conducted by members of the Léon-Bernard Cancer Center in Lyonof Gustave-Roussy, of the central school of Lyon, of the university of Leicester (UK), Ineris and the center Bordeaux Population Health.
The study lasted 21 years and more than 100,000 women in France were followed. The results show that some air pollutants might increase the risk of breast cancer and in particular in the event ofexposure to nitrogen dioxide as revealed LePoint. The study adds to the many other recent works that go in this direction.
“Of the epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested that theexposure to environmental pollutantsin particular those with effect endocrine disruptormight have a role in the development of breast cancer“, can we read on the site of the Lyon center. Among the risk factors of breast cancer, there is genetics, hormones which are the most common.
[ – Cancer du sein et pollution de lair]
Supported since 2016 by the @FondationARCthe XENAIR study unveils new results making it possible to estimate the weight of certain air pollutants in the occurrence of breast cancer.https://t.co/1vlWz9gUXy pic.twitter.com/WjODvY43KL— ARC Foundation (@ARCFoundation) October 6, 2022
It must also be taken into account age and lifestyle (alcohol, physical activity, etc.). A previous meta-analysis, published in 2021, claimed that 1,700 breast cancers were linked to exposure to nitrogen dioxide each year in France. From 1990 to 2011, 10,444 women were followed. Half of them were suffering from the disease.
The authors of the Franco-British project, baptized Xenair, have worked on chronic low-dose exposure to eight air pollutants : dioxines, BaP, PCB, cadmium (les pollutants with xenoestrogenic properties), fine particles (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide and ozone (from pollutants to which daily exposure), as revealed in the press release.
The researchers have compared diseased and unaffected women. And for every woman they have estimated the average and cumulative exposures to each pollutant depending on where they live. The results of the Xenair study prove that five of the eight pollutants studied increase the risk of breast cancer.
Among the pollutants incriminated: particles and fine particles and pollutants emitted by road traffic, wood heating, as well as the manufacturing industry. “Depending on the pollutant concerned, the risk of breast cancer increases from 8% to 19%“, details BFM Lyon. Many Breast Cancer Cases Could Have Been Prevented if air pollution decreased.
A study by researchers from the Léon Bérard Center reveals that pollution increases the risk of breast cancer pic.twitter.com/9Ws1pdp2BM
— BFM Lyon (@BFMLyon) October 4, 2022
If the exposure levels of nitrogen dioxide complied with the European thresholds, i.e. 40 µg/m3, “1% of breast cancers in the Xenair population might have been prevented”, describe the scientists. And if the levels were compliant the recommendations of the World Health Organization (10 µg/m3), “nearly 9%” of detected breast cancers might have been avoided.
“The results of the Xenair study suggest that reducing the concentrations of air pollutants by France has the potential to help prevent breast cancer. This investment is essential to prevent the disease and might be compensated by the savings in treatment, management, and cost for society by the cancers avoided”, conclude the authors.
The project Xenair is not finished yet. Researchers are now trying to determine whether three other pollutants can also be responsible increased risk of breast cancer. In France, breast cancer is the most common female cancer. Each year, 58,500 cases are detected and more than 12,000 women die from it.
