Household cleaning products linked to breast cancer, study finds
In a case-control study published in the journal Environmental Health, researchers discovered that household cleaning products increase breast cancer risk. The study did not find a link between pesticides use and breast cancer.
Household cleaning products including air fresheners and mold removers contain ”endocrine disrupting chemicals” or “mammary gland carcinogens” that can contribute to breast cancer, the researchers found.
When the cleaning products are used on a regular basis, the study found that women’s risk of developing breast cancer may double.
The researchers interviewed 787 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1988 and 1995 to find out household products they used that could have contributed to breast cancer risk factors. Also, 721 women without breast cancer were asked about what they thought were the causes of breast cancer.
The results showed that there is a link between the commonly used cleaning products and an increased risk for breast cancer. However, pesticides and insect repellents were observed to have little association with the risk.
The results may have been skewered due to “recall bias” among the women interviewed, according to the researchers.