Fact Sheet: What Can Be Done Now

Transcription

1 Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Fact Sheet: What Can Be Dne Nw General Facts Accumulating evidence suggests that interactins between genetic and envirnmental factrs may play a part in wh gets breast cancer and wh des nt. 1 Fr the purpses f this fact sheet, envirnmental factrs include the air we breathe, the fd we eat, the water we drink, and things we tuch and put n ur skin. There is evidence that expsure t endcrine disruptrs such as phthalates (THAL-ates) r bisphenl A (bis-fee-nawl A) (BPA) may affect when a girl develps breasts r gets her first perid. 2 Girls with a higher bdy mass index (BMI) are mre likely t have an early first perid. Other studies have shwn that girls wh enter puberty early may be at a greater risk fr develping breast cancer later in life. 3 What the Cmmunity Can D Raise awareness amng cmmunity leaders abut the risks assciated with using prducts that cntain endcrine disrupting chemicals, such as phthalates and BPA, and the advantages f using prducts withut these chemicals. Encurage healthy lifestyle chices, such as eating healthy and participating in physical activity, fr all cmmunity members. Help cmmunity leaders t: Learn abut the envirnmental expsures that may impact yur cmmunity s health; Understand the need fr mre scientific research related t envirnmental expsures and cancer risk, especially during windws f susceptibility in humans, and their ptential impact n health later in life; Prmte awareness f precautinary steps that may lead t reduced breast cancer risk fr wmen in yur cmmunity, in the United States, and wrldwide.

2 Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Fact Sheet: What Can Be Dne Nw (page 2) What Health Prfessinals Can D Health prfessinals shuld cmmunicate with parents and caregivers abut the imprtance f adpting a healthy lifestyle fr the entire family. Health prfessinals shuld prvide parents and caregivers with infrmatin abut envirnmental expsures that may affect girls risk f develping breast cancer later in life. The Centers fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin 4 and the American Academy f Pediatrics 5 recmmend using bdy mass index (BMI) t screen fr verweight and besity beginning at tw years f age and plt weight-fr-height values at least nce a year. A yung girl wh is suspected f entering puberty unusually early shuld be evaluated by her family physician r pediatrician, wh may refer her t a pediatric endcrinlgist r ther specialist fr further evaluatin. Health prfessinals can learn mre abut the relatinship between envirnmental expsures, pubertal develpment, and risk f breast cancer later in life by studying An Overview f Recent Research Findings Applicable t Health Prfessinals and ther infrmatin available at Educatinal materials fr parents can als be dwnladed frm this site. What Parents and Caregivers Can D Parents and caregivers may wish t limit a girl s expsure t endcrine disrupting chemicals, such as BPA and phthalates, befre puberty. Parents and caregivers shuld help girls maintain a healthy lifestyle befre puberty and thrughut their lives. Parents are encuraged t lead a healthy lifestyle as an example fr their children, by chsing healthy fds and being physically active themselves. Mre infrmatin is available n The Lifestyle Cnnectin fact sheet. Parents and caregivers shuld talk t children s health prfessinals fr suggestins t help them grw up as healthy as pssible. Parents r caregivers wh suspect that a girl may be entering puberty early shuld talk t her family physician r pediatrician, wh may refer her t a pediatric endcrinlgist r ther specialist fr further evaluatin.

3 Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Fact Sheet: What Can Be Dne Nw (page 3) What Pregnant and Breastfeeding Wmen Can D When a wman is pregnant, what she eats, breathes, drinks, r even puts n her skin can affect her baby. The same is true when she is breastfeeding. Limit expsure t endcrine disrupting chemicals such as BPA and phthalates while pregnant r breastfeeding. Wash hands after handling cash register receipts r ask t receive receipts by , if pssible. Hw Expsure t Endcrine Disrupting Chemicals Can Be Reduced Plastic fd and drink cntainers, and plastic r vinyl tys, with the number 3 in the recycling triangle cntain phthalates. T reduce expsure t phthalates: Reduce use f vinyl and PVC prducts as much as pssible; Opt fr prducts made f clth, prcelain r ceramic, metal, and glass; 6 When pssible, chse prducts like fragrances, nail plish, dedrant, hair care prducts, bdy ltin, csmetics, detergents, and sap that say phthalate free r d nt have the wrd phthalate anywhere in the list f ingredients (this includes ingredients like di-n-butyl phthalate r diethyl phthalate r benzylbutyl phthalate ); Cnsider buying fragrance-free prducts. Phthalates may nt always be listed separately n prduct labels and may instead be part f what is listed simply as fragrance in the ingredients (if the wrds phthalate free are nt n the label f a persnal care prduct, a cnsumer may wish t buy a fragrance-free versin if there is a chice); Reduce use f plastic fd and beverage cntainers, and plastic r vinyl tys with the number 3 in the recycling triangle. Plastic fd and drink cntainers with the number 7 in the recycling triangle ften cntain BPA. T reduce expsure t BPA: Micrwave fd in glass cntainers (heating fd in cntainers made with BPA releases BPA int the fd); Avid plastic cntainers with the number 7 in the recycling triangle n the bttm f the cntainer;

4 Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Fact Sheet: What Can Be Dne Nw (page 4) D nt wash plastic cntainers in the dishwasher (BPA can leach ut f these prducts when they are heated at high temperatures); 7 Reduce use f canned fds. Eat fresh r frzen fds whenever pssible; When pssible, pt fr glass, prcelain r ceramic, r stainless steel cntainers, particularly fr ht fd r liquids; Use infant frmula bttles that are BPA free and lk fr plastic r vinyl tys that are labeled BPA free ; 7 Wash hands after handling cash register receipts r ask t receive receipts by , if pssible. T Live a Healthy Lifestyle Bth healthy eating and being active can help peple maintain a healthy weight and bdy fat level, and may help t reduce the risk f develping breast cancer later in life. Healthy eating guidelines include: 8 Emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whle grains, and fat-free r lw-fat milk and milk prducts; Including lean meats, pultry, fish, beans (including sy), eggs, and nuts; Chsing fds that are lw in animal fats, chlesterl, salt (sdium), and added sugars. Sme studies in humans have indicated that breast cancer risk is lwer amng wmen whse dietary intake was higher in sy during puberty and adlescence. Regular physical activity can help peple f all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities stay healthy. 9 It is recmmended that children frm 6 t 17 engage in physical activity fr perids f time that add up t abut an hur each day. Peple wh have disabilities r special cnditins (pregnancy, chrnic medical cnditins) shuld discuss with their healthcare prvider what types and amunts f physical activities are apprpriate fr them. Parents are encuraged t lead a healthy lifestyle as an example fr their children, by chsing healthy fds and being physically active themselves.

5 Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Fact Sheet: What Can Be Dne Nw (page 5) T learn mre, visit 1 Claudi, L. (2004). Translatin: Breast Cancer Takes Center Stage. Envirnmental Health Perspectives, 112 (2), A Bir, F. M., Greenspan, L. C., & Galvez, M. P. (2012). Puberty in girls f the 21st century. Jurnal f Pediatric and Adlescent Gyneclgy, 25 (5), di: /j.jpag Claudi, L. (2007). Centered n Breast Cancer. Envirnmental Health Perspectives, 115 (3), A Centers fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin. (2012). Grwth Chart Training. Retrieved September 2012, 2012, frm the Centers fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin Web site: 5 American Academy f Pediatrics. (2008). Bright Futures: Guidelines fr Health Supervisin f Infants, Children, and Adlescents, Pcket Guide (Third ed.). (J. F. Hagan, J. S. Shaw, & P. M. Duncan, Eds.) Elk Grve Village, IL: American Academy f Pediatrics. 6 Munt Sinai Schl f Medicine. (n.d.). Phthalates (MSSM). Retrieved September 17, 2012, frm the Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Research Prgram Web site: 7 Natinal Txiclgy Prgram. (2010, August). Bisphenl A (BPA) Fact Sheet. Retrieved September 16, 2012, frm the Natinal Txiclgy Prgram Web site: 8 U.S. Department f Agriculture and U.S. Department f Health and Human Services. (2010). Dietary Guidelines fr Americans, 2010 (7th ed.). U.S. Gvernment Printing Office. 9 U.S. Department f Health and Human Services. (2008) Physical Activity Guidelines fr Americans (ODPHP Publicatin N. U0036 ed.). Made pssible by the Breast Cancer and the Envirnment Research Prgram (BCERP) grants U01 ES012770, U01 ES012771, U01 ES012800, U01 ES012801, U01 ES019453, U01 ES019435, U01 ES019454, U01 ES019457, U01 ES019471, U01 ES019466, U01 ES019434, U01 ES019480, U01 ES019482, U01 ES019459, U01 ES019472, and U01 ES frm the Natinal Institute f Envirnmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Natinal Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, DHHS.