South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers

A preservative commonly seen in deodorants, cosmetics, food products, and pharmaceuticals has also been found in the cancerous tissue of 40 female breast cancer patients.  This preservative, called parabens, has been raising eyebrows since 1998 concerning its link to breast cancer.

Researchers have been investigating oestrogenic properties of the parabens in breast cancer. It is widely known that oestrogen plays a crucial role in the development, growth, and progression of breast cancer.

Parabens are found in a variety of household items. Items containing paraben include, but are not limited to:

• Deodorants,
• Moisturizers,
• Make-up,
• Shaving Cream,
• Tanning Lotions,
• Toothpaste,
• Processed meat (such as sausage),
• Pies, and
• Pastries.

A study led by Dr. Phillipa Darbre from the University of Reading found that out of 40 women undergoing mastectomies between 2005 and 2008 for breast cancer in England, 99 percent of the tissue samples contained at least one paraben, where 60 percent contained five. The study used 160 samples, or four samples from each woman.

The study found, however, there is really no link between woman who use underarm deodorants and the development of breast cancer. The study found that woman who did not use deodorants still had measurable parabens in their tissue. This suggests that parabens must enter the breasts through other outlets.

Mr. Lester Barr, co-author of the study from University Hospital of South Manchester stated, “Our study appears to confirm the view that there is no simple cause and effect relationship between parabens in underarm products and breast cancer.”

Dr. Darbre went on to say, “The fact that parabens were detected in the majority of the breast tissue samples cannot be taken to imply that they actually caused breast cancer in the 40 women studied. However, the fact that parabens were present in so many of the breast tissue samples does justify further investigation.”

As for now, “There is currently no conclusive evidence to suggest that the use of products containing parabens is directly linked to the development of breast cancer,” said Catherine Priestly, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Breast Cancer Center.

Priestly states that woman should be aware of their risk factors for breast cancer so they can make informed lifestyle choices.

For more information on breast cancer, visit www.breastcancercare.org.

By: South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyer Pete Strom