Compound found in some plastics may be associated with breast cancer
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Women who get the unwelcome news that they have breast cancer could fight back against the disease if they buy Canadian Tamoxifen at a fraction of its cost. Different factors can influence the development of the disease, such as genetics and environmental hazards. New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham explored the association between breast cancer and bisphenol A (BPA), a compound commonly found in some plastic items.
Past studies suggested there may be an association between BPA and conditions such as infertility, prostate cancer and breast cancer, according to the research team. The scientists decided to investigate whether exposure to BPA could influence the effects of HER2/erbB2, a protein found to be overproduced in up to 30 percent of cases of breast cancer.
In the laboratory, the scientists exposed mice that were bred to overproduce HER2/erbB2 to constant doses of BPA.
"We found the lower doses of BPA to be capable of activating several growth-factor-receptor pathways that previously have been implicated in cancer," said author Sarah Jenkins, PhD. "This was not observed with the higher BPA doses. This is counterintuitive since BPA in low levels was presumed to be safe."
BPA can be found in products such as kitchen utensils, food storage containers and the linings of metal cans, the researchers said.
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