A new study suggests phthalates found in everyday products could drive the onset, growth and spread of breast cancer. As the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, most cases of breast cancer arise from environmental and lifestyle factors, the study found.
The study’s findings were published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety and brings into question the safety of common chemicals tin plastics, personal care products, and food packaging that Americans encounter daily.
“Phthalates are pervasive environmental toxicants that influence the initiation, progression and metastasis of breast cancer,” scientists said. “As a breast tumor progresses through the stages of disease–intensified by the effects of phthalate exposure on hormone activity, drug resistance, metabolic dysfunction, and cancer cell stemness–the tumor and its surrounding microenvironment become more aggressive, ultimately leading to possibly fatal outcomes.”
Phthalates are added to plastics to make them more flexible and durable, but in the human body the study suggests that these chemicals “hijack the body’s hormone systems, activate cancer-promoting genes, and make tumors easier to form, and harder to treat, led by scientist, Dr. Michal Toborek from the University of Miami’s Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. From nail products and perfumes, body sprays, and colognes to building materials, pharmaceuticals, and food packaging, endocrine disruptors like phthalates interfere with hormonal signals that regulate the body and can cause other serious health issues including, adverse birth outcomes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, obesity, and reproductive health problems.
The study found that only 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer cases in women are inherited, confirming that most come from environmental and lifestyle factors. While some states have passed laws to restrict phthalates and other endocrine disruptors in cosmetic and personal care products, the study said more long-term studies tracking exposure from before birth into adulthood are needed to fully understand lifetime risks.
“Understanding phthalate-driven carcinogenicity, and how to mitigate it, is essential to inform public health policy, clinical guidance, and individual risk reduction methods,” the study said.
Here are some ways to reduce exposure to phthalates, according to the study:
- Use fragrance-free and phthalate-free personal care products, household cleaners, and other items.
- Choose glass or stainless steel food and beverage containers.
- Avoid products made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) vinyl or labeled with recycling symbol #3.
- Do not heat plastic (e.g., in the microwave or dishwasher).
- Opt for fresh, whole foods and avoid ultra-processed and packaged foods.
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