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Llanos AAM, Ashrafi A, Olisa T, Rockson A, Schaefer A, McDonald JA, Terry MB, Teteh-Brooks DK, Duncan DT, Irungu B, Kimani C, Matu E. Hair Dye and Relaxer Use among Cisgender Women in Embu and Nakuru Counties, Kenya: Associations with Perceived Risk of Breast Cancer and Other Health Effects. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:846. [PMID: 39063423 PMCID: PMC11277196 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21070846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Despite widespread use of hair products globally, little is known about the prevalence and patterns of use in populations outside the United States. As some hair products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and EDCs have been linked to breast cancer, which is increasing globally, in this study, we addressed key knowledge gaps about hair product use and practices, and perceptions of use among women in two counties in Kenya. Using community-engaged approaches in Embu and Nakuru, Kenya, we recruited women aged 15-50 years to complete a questionnaire that ascertained hair product use in the last 7-14 days, ever using hair dyes and chemical relaxers, and participants' perceptions or harm around hair product use. In multivariable-adjusted regression models, we evaluated associations between participants' sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of hair product use in relation to if they have ever used hair dyes and relaxers. In our sample of 746 women (mean age, 30.4 ± 8.1 years), approximately one-third of participants reported ever using permanent and/or semi-permanent hair dyes, with approximately one-fifth reporting current use. Almost 60% reported ever using chemical relaxers, with a little over one-third reporting current use. Increasing age and having an occupation in the sales and service industry were statistically significant predictors of hair dye use (OR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06 and OR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.38-3.03, respectively) and relaxer use (OR 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06 and OR 1.93, 95% CI: 1.30-2.87). On average, participants reported moderate-to-high levels of concern about exposures and general health effects from using hair products, and relatively high levels of perceived risk of breast cancer related to hair product use. However, in contrast to our hypotheses, we observed mixed evidence regarding whether higher levels of perceived risk were associated with lower odds of ever using hair dyes and relaxers. These findings add new knowledge to the extant literature on hair product use among women in Kenya, where breast cancer incidence rates are increasing. Improving the understanding of patterns of use of specific products and their chemical ingredients-which may be hormone disruptors or carcinogens-and exploring the role of environmental health literacy are critical for developing interventions to reduce potentially harmful exposures found in these products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adana A. M. Llanos
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3), Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Adiba Ashrafi
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
| | - Teresa Olisa
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical and Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; (T.O.); (B.I.); (C.K.)
| | - Amber Rockson
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
| | - Alexis Schaefer
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
| | - Jasmine A. McDonald
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Mary Beth Terry
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dede K. Teteh-Brooks
- Department of Health Sciences, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA;
| | - Dustin T. Duncan
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.A.); (A.R.); (A.S.); (J.A.M.); (D.T.D.)
| | - Beatrice Irungu
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical and Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; (T.O.); (B.I.); (C.K.)
| | - Cecilia Kimani
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical and Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; (T.O.); (B.I.); (C.K.)
| | - Esther Matu
- African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3), Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical and Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; (T.O.); (B.I.); (C.K.)
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Mandeville J, Alkhalaf Z, Joannidis C, Ryan M, Nelson D, Quiros-Alcala L, Gribble MO, Pollack AZ. Risk perception and use of personal care products by race and ethnicity among a diverse population. UCL OPEN. ENVIRONMENT 2024; 6:e3038. [PMID: 38757092 PMCID: PMC11098005 DOI: 10.14324/111.444/ucloe.3038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Personal care products can contain phthalates, parabens and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, information on perception of risks from personal care product use and how use varies by race and ethnicity is limited. We evaluated differences in personal care product use and risk perception in a diverse sample of participants recruited from a US college campus and online. A self-administered questionnaire captured information on sociodemographic factors, personal care product use trends and perception of risk associated with them. Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to determine differences in personal care product use and risk perception by race and ethnicity. Ordered logistic regressions were performed to measure associations between personal care product use frequency across racial/ethnic categories. Participant (n = 770) mean age was 22.8 years [standard deviation ± 6.0]. Daily use of make-up (eye = 29.3%; other = 38.0%; all = 33.7%) and skincare products (55%) was most frequently reported among Middle Eastern and North African participants. Non-Hispanic Black participants reported the highest daily use of hairstyling products (52%) and lotion (78%). Daily make-up use was more frequently reported among females (41%) than males (24.6%). Levels of agreement were similar across racial and ethnic groups, that personal care product manufacturers should be required to list all ingredients (≥87%). There were significant associations between the frequency of use of some personal care products and racial/ethnic categories when the use frequencies of participants from other racial/ethnic categories were compared to the use frequency of non-Hispanic White participants. There were significant differences in daily use frequency, levels of trust, perception of safety and health risks associated with personal care products by race and ethnicity, underscoring that there may be different sources of exposure to chemicals in personal care products by race and ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Mandeville
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Zeina Alkhalaf
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Charlotte Joannidis
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Michelle Ryan
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Devon Nelson
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Lesliam Quiros-Alcala
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew O. Gribble
- Division of Occupational, Environmental & Climate Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anna Z. Pollack
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
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Goldberg M, Chang CJ, Ogunsina K, O’Brien KM, Taylor KW, White AJ, Sandler DP. Personal Care Product Use during Puberty and Incident Breast Cancer among Black, Hispanic/Latina, and White Women in a Prospective US-Wide Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:27001. [PMID: 38306193 PMCID: PMC10836586 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some personal care products (PCPs) contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that may affect breast cancer (BC) risk. Patterns of use vary by race and ethnicity. Use often starts in adolescence, when rapidly developing breast tissue may be more susceptible to environmental carcinogens. Few studies have examined associations of BC with PCP use during this susceptible window. OBJECTIVES We characterized race and ethnicity-specific patterns of PCP use at 10-13 years of age and estimated associations of use with incident BC. METHODS At enrollment (2003-2009), Sister Study participants (n = 4,049 Black, 2,104 Latina, and 39,312 White women) 35-74 years of age reported use of 37 "everyday" PCPs during the ages of 10-13 y (did not use, sometimes, or frequently used). We conducted race and ethnicity-specific latent class analyses to separately identify groups of women with similar patterns of beauty, hair, and skincare/hygiene product use. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of identified PCP classes and single products with incident BC using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS During a mean follow-up time of 10.8 y, 280 Black, 128 Latina, and 3,137 White women were diagnosed with BC. Classes of adolescent PCP use were not clearly associated with BC diagnosis among Black, Latina, or White women. HRs were elevated but imprecise for frequent nail product and perfume use in Black women (HR = 1.34; 95% CI: 0.85, 2.12) and greater hair product use in Black (HR = 1.28; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.80) and Latina (HR = 1.42; 95% CI: 0.81, 2.48) women compared with lighter use. In single-product models, we observed higher BC incidence associated with frequent use of lipstick, nail products, pomade, perfume, makeup remover, and acne/blemish products in at least one group. DISCUSSION This work provides some support for the hypothesis that PCP use during puberty is associated with BC risk. More research is needed to confirm these novel findings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13882.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Goldberg
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Che-Jung Chang
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kemi Ogunsina
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Katie M. O’Brien
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kyla W. Taylor
- Integrative Health Assessments Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandra J. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Payne CE, Rockson A, Ashrafi A, McDonald JA, Bethea TN, Barrett ES, Llanos AAM. Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair-Product-Purchasing Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Affiliated with a University in the Northeast. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7129. [PMID: 38063560 PMCID: PMC10706836 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Widespread personal care product (PCP) use can expose individuals to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) associated with adverse health outcomes. This study investigated the association between harm perceptions and hair-product-purchasing behaviors in adults enrolled in a cross-sectional study. (2) Methods: Respondents rated their agreement with five PCP-related harm statements using a five-point Likert scale. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between harm perceptions with hair-product-purchasing behaviors and hair product use (i.e., number of products used). (3) Results: Among 567 respondents (non-Hispanic White, 54.9%; non-Hispanic Black, 9.5%; Hispanic/Latinx, 10.1%; Asian American/Pacific Islander, 20.1%; and multiracial/other, 5.5%), stronger harm perceptions around PCP use were associated with potentially "safer" hair-product-purchasing behaviors. Respondents who strongly agreed that consumers should be concerned about the health effects of PCPs had more than fourfold increased odds of always/usually using healthy product apps (OR 4.10, 95% CI: 2.04-8.26); reading ingredient labels (OR 4.53, 95% CI: 2.99-6.87); and looking for natural, non-toxic, or eco-friendly product labels (OR 4.53, 95% CI: 2.99-6.88) when buying hair products. (4) Conclusions: Promoting environmental health literacy and raising awareness of potential PCP use-related harms might encourage healthier hair product use behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathryn E. Payne
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (C.E.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Amber Rockson
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (C.E.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Adiba Ashrafi
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (C.E.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Jasmine A. McDonald
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (C.E.P.); (A.R.)
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Traci N. Bethea
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Adana A. M. Llanos
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (C.E.P.); (A.R.)
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Chan M, Parikh S, Shyr D, Shamasunder B, Adamkiewicz G, James-Todd T. Evaluating Neighborhood-Level Differences in Hair Product Safety by Environmental Working Group Ratings among Retailers in Boston, Massachusetts. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:97002. [PMID: 37702490 PMCID: PMC10498863 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Personal care products are a notable source of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Racial/ethnic differences in the use of hair products containing EDCs are reported, with women and children of color more commonly using hair products that are hormonally active and contain EDCs than other racial/ethnic groups. There is limited research examining the neighborhood-level social and economic factors that may contribute to these reported disparities. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine the safety of hair products across sociodemographically diverse neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts. METHODS Eight neighborhoods were identified based on indicators of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). We randomly selected 50 stores and collected data on the hair products for sale and their corresponding Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep hazard score. The association between neighborhood and EWG hazard category (low, moderate, high) was examined using a multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 14,019 hair products were identified in the eight neighborhoods. When considering products with EWG hazard scores, Roxbury, a lower income community of color, and Mission Hill, a lower income community, were reported to have a higher percentage of high-hazard hair products in comparison with Beacon Hill [12.2% (163/1,332), 11.4% (65/571) vs. 7.9% (30/382), respectively]. Differences between the safety of hair products were observed, with Roxbury and Mission Hill reporting more than a 2-fold higher risk ratio (RR) of finding hair products with high vs. low EWG scores in comparison with that of Beacon Hill [RR for Roxbury: 2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 4.6; RR for Mission Hill: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.0, 5.4]. Other neighborhoods were also observed to have an increased RR in comparison with Beacon Hill, however, with 95% CIs that extended beyond the null. DISCUSSION Retail stores in neighborhoods with a higher percentage of residents of color and lower SES were found to be more likely to sell products with high hazard scores than stores in a higher SES and predominately non-Hispanic White neighborhood. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10653.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Chan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shivani Parikh
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Derek Shyr
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bhavna Shamasunder
- Department of Urban and Environmental Policy, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Gary Adamkiewicz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Ali A, Moinuddin, Allarakha S, Fatima S, Ali SA, Habib S. Risk of Carcinogenicity Associated with Synthetic Hair Dyeing Formulations: A Biochemical View on Action Mechanisms, Genetic Variation and Prevention. Indian J Clin Biochem 2022; 37:399-409. [PMID: 36262790 PMCID: PMC9573846 DOI: 10.1007/s12291-022-01051-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Article tries to visualize the potential for carcinogenic trigger in humans with a preference for oxidative synthetic of hair dyeing formulations, especially which belong to the category of permanent colours. According to the International Agency for Cancer, hair dyes for personal use are not strictly classified as carcinogen to humans. However, some controversy exists that requires clarification. Some epidemiological studies support the association between the risk of cancer development and personal use of hair dyes (pooled relative risk RR = 1.50. 95% CI: 1.30-1.98). The world-wide sale of hair dyeing cosmetics have exceeded 15 billion dollars by the year 2012 and has maintained an annual growth rate of 8-10%. This raises concerns and need to be addressed. The review article briefly discusses about the different hair dye components based on their chemical nature, permanence, interaction of dye components with different parts of the hair shaft, action mechanisms, health risk assessment, associated challenges and possible alternatives. There appears variability towards the pathological changes incurred in the human system upon the use of synthetic hair formulations. This probably appears due to the presence of interindividual genetic variation of enzymes handling these xenobiotics. The redox mechanism of major hair dye components appears to be involved in the carcinogenic trigger. Most of the hair dye constituents pose serious health issues. However, we do have few better alternatives to prevent the toxicity associated with hair dye constituents without compromising the need of today's fashion statement and expectations of the youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif Ali
- Department of Biochemistry, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002 India
| | - Moinuddin
- Department of Biochemistry, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002 India
| | | | - Shamila Fatima
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Syed Amaan Ali
- Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, ZA Dental College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Safia Habib
- Department of Biochemistry, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002 India
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Rao R, McDonald JA, Barrett ES, Greenberg P, Teteh DK, Montgomery SB, Qin B, Lin Y, Hong CC, Ambrosone CB, Demissie K, Bandera EV, Llanos AAM. Associations of hair dye and relaxer use with breast tumor clinicopathologic features: Findings from the Women's circle of Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111863. [PMID: 34390715 PMCID: PMC8616798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Building upon our earlier findings of significant associations between hair dye and relaxer use with increased breast cancer risk, we evaluated associations of select characteristics of use with breast tumor clinicopathology. METHODS Using multivariable-adjusted models we examined the associations of interest in a case-only study of 2998 women with breast cancer, overall and stratified by race and estrogen receptor (ER) status, addressing multiple comparisons using Bonferroni correction. RESULTS Compared to salon application of permanent hair dye, home kit and combination application (both salon and home kit application) were associated with increased odds of poorly differentiated tumors in the overall sample. This association was consistent among Black (home kit: OR 2.22, 95 % CI: 1.21-5.00; combination: OR 2.46, 95 % CI: 1.21-5.00), but not White women, and among ER+ (home kit: OR 1.47, 95 % CI: 0.82-2.63; combination: OR 2.98, 95 % CI: 1.62-5.49) but not ER-cases. Combination application of relaxers was associated with increased odds of tumors >2.0 cm vs. <1.0 cm (OR = 1.82, 95 % CI: 1.23-2.69). Longer duration and earlier use of relaxers and combination application of permanent hair dyes and relaxers were associated with breast tumor features including higher tumor grade and larger tumor size, which often denote more aggressive phenotypes, although the findings did not maintain significance with Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSIONS These novel data support reported associations between hair dye and relaxer use with breast cancer, showing for the first time, associations with breast tumor clinicopathologic features. Improved hair product exposure measurement is essential for fully understanding the impact of these environmental exposure with breast cancer and to guide risk reduction strategies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Rao
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jasmine A McDonald
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Patricia Greenberg
- Rutgers University Biostatics & Epidemiology Services (RUBIES), Rutgers School of Public Health and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Dede K Teteh
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Susanne B Montgomery
- Behavioral Health Institute, School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Bo Qin
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yong Lin
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Chi-Chen Hong
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Christine B Ambrosone
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kitaw Demissie
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University School of Public Health, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Elisa V Bandera
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Adana A M Llanos
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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Preston EV, Fruh V, Quinn MR, Hacker MR, Wylie BJ, O’Brien K, Mahalingaiah S, James-Todd T. Endocrine disrupting chemical-associated hair product use during pregnancy and gestational age at delivery: a pilot study. Environ Health 2021; 20:86. [PMID: 34320990 PMCID: PMC8316883 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00772-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure has been associated with increased risk of preterm birth. Non-Hispanic Black women have higher incidence of preterm birth compared to other racial/ethnic groups and may be disproportionately exposed to EDCs through EDC-containing hair products. However, research on the use of EDC-associated hair products during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth is lacking. Therefore, the objective of this pilot study was to estimate associations of prenatal hair product use with gestational age at delivery in a Boston, Massachusetts area pregnancy cohort. METHODS The study population consisted of a subset of participants enrolled in the Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) Study between 2018 and 2020. We collected self-reported data on demographics and hair product use using a previously validated questionnaire at four prenatal visits (median: 12, 19, 26, 36 weeks' gestation) and abstracted gestational age at delivery from medical records. We compared gestational age and hair product use by race/ethnicity and used linear regression to estimate covariate-adjusted associations of product use and frequency of use at each study visit with gestational age at delivery. Primary models were adjusted for maternal age at enrollment and delivery method. RESULTS Of the 154 study participants, 7% delivered preterm. Non-Hispanic Black participants had lower mean gestational age at delivery compared to non-Hispanic White participants (38.2 vs. 39.2 weeks) and were more likely to report ever and more frequent use of hair products. In regression models, participants reporting daily use of hair oils at visit 4 had lower mean gestational age at delivery compared to non-users (β: -8.3 days; 95% confidence interval: -14.9, -1.6). We did not find evidence of associations at earlier visits or with other products. CONCLUSIONS Frequent use of hair oils during late pregnancy may be associated with shorter gestational duration. As hair oils are more commonly used by non-Hispanic Black women and represent potentially modifiable EDC exposure sources, this may have important implications for the known racial disparity in preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma V. Preston
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Victoria Fruh
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Marlee R. Quinn
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Michele R. Hacker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Blair J. Wylie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Karen O’Brien
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Shruthi Mahalingaiah
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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9
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Coogan PF, Rosenberg L, Palmer JR, Cozier YC, Lenzy YM, Bertrand KA. Hair product use and breast cancer incidence in the Black Women's Health Study. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:924-930. [PMID: 34013957 PMCID: PMC8496025 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hair relaxers and leave-in conditioners and oils, commonly used by Black/African American women, may contain estrogens or estrogen-disrupting compounds. Thus, their use may contribute to breast cancer risk. Results of the few previous studies on this topic are inconsistent. We assessed the relation of hair relaxer and leave-in conditioner use to breast cancer incidence in the Black Women's Health Study, a nationwide prospective study of Black women. Among 50 543 women followed from 1997 to 2017, 2311 incident breast cancers occurred. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression for breast cancer overall and by estrogen receptor (ER) status. For heavy use (≥15 years of use for ≥7 times/year) of hair relaxers relative to never/light use (<4 years, no more than 1-2 times/year), the multivariable HR for breast cancer overall was 1.13 (95%CI: 0.96-1.33). Duration, frequency, age at first use and number of scalp burns were not associated with overall breast cancer risk. For heavy use of hair relaxers containing lye, the corresponding HR for ER+ breast cancer was 1.32 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.80); there was no association for non-lye products. There was no association of conditioner use and breast cancer. Results of this study were largely null, but there was some evidence that heavy use of lye-containing hair relaxers may be associated with increased risk of ER+ breast cancer. Consistent results from several studies are needed before it can be concluded that use of certain hair relaxers impacts breast cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia F Coogan
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston
University, Boston, MA, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +001 617 206
6180; Fax: +001 617 738 5119;
| | - Lynn Rosenberg
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston
University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julie R Palmer
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston
University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yvette C Cozier
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston
University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yolanda M Lenzy
- Lenzy Dermatology and Hair Loss Center,
Chicopee, MA, USA,UConn Health Dermatology,
Farmington, CT, USA
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10
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Raley E, Quirós-Alcalá L, Matsui EC. Chemical Exposures via Personal Care Products and the Disproportionate Asthma Burden Among the U.S. Black Population. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2021; 9:3290-3292. [PMID: 33975033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.04.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
An evolving body of literature links chemicals commonly found in personal care products (PCPs) to an increased risk of both developing asthma and worsening existing asthma. Phthalates, parabens, environmental phenols, such as triclosan and bisphenol A, and other endocrine-disrupting compounds have been implicated in asthma and related allergic conditions in epidemiological studies. Because Black individuals have increased exposure to these chemicals through hair care products and feminine hygiene products, disproportionate exposure to these chemicals through PCPs could contribute, in part, to the disproportionate asthma prevalence and morbidity among the U.S. Black population. Increased exposure to these chemicals among Black individuals is explained, in part, by more frequent use of hair care products that can contain higher concentrations of these chemicals and greater use of feminine hygiene products, which are also sources of exposure to these chemicals. Epidemiological evidence using urinary biomarkers of exposure demonstrates associations between PCPs and exposure to these chemicals and that the U.S. Black population has greater exposure to these chemicals than the non-Black population. Should chemical exposures through PCPs contribute to the excess burden of asthma among the U.S. Black population, reducing these exposures would reduce this disparity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Raley
- Department of Internal Medicine, Dell Medical School at University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Elizabeth C Matsui
- Departments of Population Health and Pediatrics, Dell Medical School at University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
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11
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White AJ, Gregoire AM, Taylor KW, Eberle C, Gaston S, O’Brien KM, Jackson CL, Sandler DP. Adolescent use of hair dyes, straighteners and perms in relation to breast cancer risk. Int J Cancer 2021; 148:2255-2263. [PMID: 33252833 PMCID: PMC7969396 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Hair products can contain hormonally active and carcinogenic compounds. Adolescence may be a period of enhanced susceptibility of the breast tissue to exposure to chemicals. We therefore evaluated associations between adolescent hair product use and breast cancer risk. Sister Study participants (ages 35-74 years) who had completed enrollment questionnaires (2003-2009) on use of hair dyes, straighteners/relaxers and perms at ages 10 to 13 years (N = 47 522) were included. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for associations between hair products and incident breast cancer (invasive cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ), with consideration of heterogeneity by menopausal status and race/ethnicity. Over an average of 10 years of follow-up, 3380 cases were diagnosed. Frequent use of straighteners and perms was associated with a higher risk of premenopausal (HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.26-3.55 and HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 0.96-2.53, respectively) but not postmenopausal breast cancer (HR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.76-1.30 and HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.89-1.35, respectively). Permanent hair dye use during adolescence was uncommon (<3%) and not associated with breast cancer overall (HR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.78-1.20), though any permanent dye use was associated with a higher risk among black women (HR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.01-3.11). Although frequency of use of perms (37% non-Hispanic white vs 9% black) and straighteners (3% non-Hispanic white vs 75% black) varied by race/ethnicity, associations with breast cancer did not. Use of hair products, specifically perms and straighteners, during adolescence may be associated with a higher risk of premenopausal breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra J. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Allyson M. Gregoire
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Kyla W. Taylor
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Carolyn Eberle
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Symielle Gaston
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Katie M. O’Brien
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Chandra L. Jackson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
- Intramural Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
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12
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Rocha PRS, Oliveira VD, Vasques CI, Dos Reis PED, Amato AA. Exposure to endocrine disruptors and risk of breast cancer: A systematic review. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2021; 161:103330. [PMID: 33862246 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM The aim of this study was to investigate the association between human exposure to endocrine disruptors (EDs) and the risk of breast cancer. METHODS This was a systematic review conducted by searching Cochrane Library, LILACS, Livivo, PubMed, and Science Direct. Observational studies addressing the association between exposure to EDs and breast cancer risk in adults were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the National Toxicology Program's Office of Health Assessment Translation tool. RESULTS a total of 37 studies were included. Most studies reported that exposure to organochlorine pesticides, phthalates, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was associated with increased breast cancer risk. CONCLUSION qualitative analysis of observational studies indicates that human exposure to EDs is associated with increased breast cancer risk. Additional studies are needed to determine whether this association is causal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Roberta Silva Rocha
- Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário s/n, Metropolitan Center, Brasília, DF, 72220-275, Brazil.
| | | | - Christiane Inocêncio Vasques
- Nursing Department, School of Health Sciences, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Paula Elaine Diniz Dos Reis
- Nursing Department, School of Health Sciences, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Angélica Amorim Amato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
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13
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Kim S, Carson KA, Chien AL. Methyl Paraben May Increase Risk of Pruritus in African Americans Whereas Triclosan Is Inversely Associated With Pruritus and Eczema. Dermatitis 2021; 32:124-130. [PMID: 31433379 PMCID: PMC7028506 DOI: 10.1097/der.0000000000000495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phenols and parabens (P&Ps) are commonly found in skin care products. However, P&Ps' role in pruritus and eczema has not been studied. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to investigate the association between P&Ps, and pruritus and eczema. METHODS This is a cross-sectional population-based study of 2202 participants. We examined the association between urinary phenols (triclosan, bisphenol A, benzophenone-3) and parabens (methyl and propyl parabens) and itchy rash/eczema using the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. Phenols and parabens were divided into quartiles (Qs) with the first Q as the reference. We calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for multiple variables. RESULTS Urinary triclosan was inversely associated with itchy rash (P trend = 0.048). In a subpopulation analysis by race/ethnicity, urinary methyl paraben was positively associated with itchy rash in African Americans (fourth Q vs first Q: odds ratio, 12.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-154.06; P trend = 0.02). Triclosan was inversely associated with eczema in whites (P trend = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Methyl paraben exposure may increase the risk of itchy rash in African Americans, whereas triclosan may decrease the risk of itchy rash and eczema. The potential effect of triclosan and methyl paraben in pruritus and eczema warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sooyoung Kim
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Now with the Department of Dermatology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kathryn A. Carson
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anna L. Chien
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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14
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Teteh DK, Chan M, Turner B, Hedgeman B, Ericson M, Clark P, Mitchell E, Barrett E, Llanos A, Kittles R, Montgomery S. Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown: Black Men's Perspective on Harmful Effects of Black Women's Hair Product Use and Breast Cancer Risk. Am J Mens Health 2020; 14:1557988320970073. [PMID: 33143543 PMCID: PMC7675885 DOI: 10.1177/1557988320970073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionate burden of breast cancer mortality. Black women also commonly use hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) more often at an increased rate, as compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Emerging findings have reported the use of hair and other personal care products containing EDCs may contribute to breast cancer risk. While some sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity have been explored, the role of beauty expectations upheld by males has not been studied. Through a community-based participatory methodology, we explored perceptions and beliefs held by Black men regarding Black women's hair, chemical exposures in hair products, and breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews-among men with and without partners with a history of breast cancer-were used to examine the male perspective regarding the attractiveness of Black hairstyles, opinions of beauty norms, and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed guided by grounded theory methods. From the 66 participants interviewed, there was general support for natural hairstyles, which were associated with confidence and self-esteem in women. Men agreed that beauty standards and societal pressures play notable roles in the women's personal behaviors though they mostly lacked knowledge of women's breast cancer risk related to EDCs found in personal care products. Participants suggested a multipronged strategy centered on community education involving social and traditional media campaigns, and the engagement of policy makers in intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dede K Teteh
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Marissa Chan
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bing Turner
- Behavioral Health Institute, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Brian Hedgeman
- Behavioral Health Institute, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Marissa Ericson
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Eudora Mitchell
- Quinn Community Outreach Corporation, Moreno Valley, CA, USA
| | - Emily Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.,Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Adana Llanos
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.,Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Rick Kittles
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
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15
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Teteh D, Ericson M, Monice S, Dawkins-Moultin L, Bahadorani N, Clark P, Mitchell E, Treviño LS, Llanos A, Kittles R, Montgomery S. The Black identity, hair product use, and breast cancer scale. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225305. [PMID: 31800594 PMCID: PMC6892488 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Across the African Diaspora, hair is synonymous with identity. As such, Black women use a variety of hair products, which often contain more endocrine-disrupting chemicals than products used by women of other races. An emerging body of research is linking chemicals in hair products to breast cancer, but there is no validated instrument that measures constructs related to hair, identity, and breast health. The objective of this study was to develop and validate the Black Identity, Hair Product Use, and Breast Cancer Scale (BHBS) in a diverse sample of Black women to measure the social and cultural constructs associated with Black women's hair product use and perceived breast cancer risk. METHODS Participants completed a 27-item scale that queried perceptions of identity, hair products, and breast cancer risk. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were conducted to establish the underlying component structures, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to determine model fit. RESULTS Participants (n = 185) were African American (73%), African, and Caribbean Black women (27%) aged 29 to 64. PCA yielded two components that accounted for 61% of total variance. Five items measuring sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity loaded on subscale 1 and accounted for 32% of total variance (α = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.77-0.86). Six items assessing perceived breast cancer risk related to hair product use loaded on subscale 2 and accounted for 29% of total variance (α = 0.82 (95% CI = 0.74-0.86). CFA confirmed the two-component structure (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.03; Comparative Fit Index = 0.91; Tucker Lewis Index = 0.88). CONCLUSIONS The BHBS is a valid measure of social and cultural constructs associated with Black women's hair product use and perceived breast cancer risk. This scale is useful for studies that assess cultural norms in the context of breast cancer risk for Black women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dede Teteh
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Marissa Ericson
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Sabine Monice
- School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, United States of America
| | - Lenna Dawkins-Moultin
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Nasim Bahadorani
- Department of Health Sciences, California State University-Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America
| | - Phyllis Clark
- Healthy Heritage Movement, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Eudora Mitchell
- Quinn Community Outreach Corporation, Moreno Valley, California, United States of America
| | - Lindsey S. Treviño
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Adana Llanos
- Rutgers School of Public Health and Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Rick Kittles
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Health Equities, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Susanne Montgomery
- School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, United States of America
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16
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Eberle CE, Sandler DP, Taylor KW, White AJ. Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large US population of black and white women. Int J Cancer 2019; 147:383-391. [PMID: 31797377 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Many hair products contain endocrine-disrupting compounds and carcinogens potentially relevant to breast cancer. Products used predominately by black women may contain more hormonally-active compounds. In a national prospective cohort study, we examined the association between hair dye and chemical relaxer/straightener use and breast cancer risk by ethnicity. Sister Study participants (n = 46,709), women ages 35-74, were enrolled between 2003 and 2009, and had a sister with breast cancer but were breast cancer-free themselves. Enrollment questionnaires included past 12-month hair product use. Cox proportional hazards models estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between hair products and breast cancer; effect measure modification by ethnicity was evaluated. During follow-up (mean = 8.3 years), 2,794 breast cancers were identified. Fifty-five percent of participants reported using permanent dye at enrollment. Permanent dye use was associated with 45% higher breast cancer risk in black women (HR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10-1.90), and 7% higher risk in white women (HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.99-1.16; heterogeneity p = 0.04). Among all participants, personal straightener use was associated with breast cancer risk (HR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.99-1.41); with higher risk associated with increased frequency (p for trend = 0.02). Nonprofessional application of semipermanent dye (HR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.56) and straighteners (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 0.99-1.62) to others was associated with breast cancer risk. We observed a higher breast cancer risk associated with any straightener use and personal use of permanent dye, especially among black women. These results suggest that chemicals in hair products may play a role in breast carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn E Eberle
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Kyla W Taylor
- Office of Health Assessment and Translation, National Toxicology Program, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Alexandra J White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC
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17
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Helm JS, Nishioka M, Brody JG, Rudel RA, Dodson RE. Measurement of endocrine disrupting and asthma-associated chemicals in hair products used by Black women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 165:448-458. [PMID: 29705122 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Personal care products are a source of exposure to endocrine disrupting and asthma-associated chemicals. Because use of hair products differs by race/ethnicity, these products may contribute to exposure and disease disparities. OBJECTIVE This preliminary study investigates the endocrine disrupting and asthma-associated chemical content of hair products used by U.S. Black women. METHODS We used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to test 18 hair products in 6 categories used by Black women: hot oil treatment, anti-frizz/polish, leave-in conditioner, root stimulator, hair lotion, and relaxer. We tested for 66 chemicals belonging to 10 chemical classes: ultraviolet (UV) filters, cyclosiloxanes, glycol ethers, fragrances, alkylphenols, ethanolamines, antimicrobials, bisphenol A, phthalates, and parabens. RESULTS The hair products tested contained 45 endocrine disrupting or asthma-associated chemicals, including every targeted chemical class. We found cyclosiloxanes, parabens, and the fragrance marker diethyl phthalate (DEP) at the highest levels, and DEP most frequently. Root stimulators, hair lotions, and relaxers frequently contained nonylphenols, parabens, and fragrances; anti-frizz products contained cyclosiloxanes. Hair relaxers for children contained five chemicals regulated by California's Proposition 65 or prohibited by EU cosmetics regulation. Targeted chemicals were generally not listed on the product label. CONCLUSIONS Hair products used by Black women and children contained multiple chemicals associated with endocrine disruption and asthma. The prevalence of parabens and DEP is consistent with higher levels of these compounds in biomonitoring samples from Black women compared with White women. These results indicate the need for more information about the contribution of consumer products to exposure disparities. A precautionary approach would reduce the use of endocrine disrupting chemicals in personal care products and improve labeling so women can select products consistent with their values.
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18
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McDonald JA, Tehranifar P, Flom JD, Terry MB, James-Todd T. Hair product use, age at menarche and mammographic breast density in multiethnic urban women. Environ Health 2018; 17:1. [PMID: 29301538 PMCID: PMC5753455 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0345-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Select hair products contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that may affect breast cancer risk. We hypothesize that, if EDCs are related to breast cancer risk, then they may also affect two important breast cancer risk factors: age at menarche and mammographic breast density. METHODS In two urban female cohorts (N = 248): 1) the New York site of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project and 2) the New York City Multiethnic Breast Cancer Project, we measured childhood and adult use of hair oils, lotions, leave-in conditioners, root stimulators, perms/relaxers, and hair dyes using the same validated questionnaire. We used multivariable relative risk regression models to examine the association between childhood hair product use and early age at menarche (defined as <11 years of age) and multivariable linear regression models to examine the association between childhood and adult hair product use and adult mammographic breast density. RESULTS Early menarche was associated with ever use of childhood hair products (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1, 4.8) and hair oil use (RR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2, 5.2); however, additional adjustment for race/ethnicity, attenuated associations (hair products RR 1.8, 95% CI 0.8, 4.1; hair oil use RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0, 5.5). Breast density was not associated with adult or childhood hair product or hair oil use. CONCLUSIONS If confirmed in larger prospective studies, these data suggest that exposure to EDCs through hair products in early life may affect breast cancer risk by altering timing of menarche, and may operate through a mechanism distinct from breast density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine A. McDonald
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Parisa Tehranifar
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Julie D. Flom
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Mary Beth Terry
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Departments of Environmental Health and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., Bldg. 1, 14th Floor, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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19
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Llanos AAM, Rabkin A, Bandera EV, Zirpoli G, Gonzalez BD, Xing CY, Qin B, Lin Y, Hong CC, Demissie K, Ambrosone CB. Hair product use and breast cancer risk among African American and White women. Carcinogenesis 2017; 38:883-892. [PMID: 28605409 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgx060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposures to carcinogens in hair products have been explored as breast cancer risk factors, yielding equivocal findings. We examined hair product use (hair dyes, chemical relaxers and cholesterol or placenta-containing conditioners) among African American (AA) and White women, and explored associations with breast cancer. Multivariable-adjusted models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to describe the associations of interest among 2280 cases (1508 AA and 772 White) and 2005 controls (1290 AA and 715 White). Among controls, hair dye use was more common among Whites than AAs (58 versus 30%), while relaxer (88 versus 5%) and deep conditioner use (59 versus 6%) was more common among AAs. Among AAs, use of dark hair dye shades was associated with increased breast cancer risk (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.20-1.90) and use of dark shades (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.30-2.26) and higher frequency of use (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.01-1.84) were associated with ER+ disease. Among Whites, relaxer use (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.11-2.74) and dual use of relaxers and hair dyes (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.35-4.27) was associated with breast cancer; use of dark hair dyes was associated with increased ER+ disease (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.01-2.33), and relaxer use was associated with increased ER- disease (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.06-6.16). These novel findings provide support a relationship between the use of some hair products and breast cancer. Further examinations of hair products as important exposures contributing to breast cancer carcinogenesis are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adana A M Llanos
- Department of Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.,Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Division of Population Science, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Anna Rabkin
- Department of Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Elisa V Bandera
- Department of Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.,Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Division of Population Science, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.,Division of Medical Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Gary Zirpoli
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Brian D Gonzalez
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Division of Population Science, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.,Division of Medical Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.,Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Cathleen Y Xing
- Department of Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Bo Qin
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Division of Population Science, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Yong Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Chi-Chen Hong
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Kitaw Demissie
- Department of Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.,Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Division of Population Science, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Christine B Ambrosone
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
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The environmental injustice of beauty: framing chemical exposures from beauty products as a health disparities concern. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2017; 217:418.e1-418.e6. [PMID: 28822238 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The obstetrics-gynecology community has issued a call to action to prevent toxic environmental chemical exposures and their threats to healthy human reproduction. Recent committee opinions recognize that vulnerable and underserved women may be impacted disproportionately by environmental chemical exposures and recommend that reproductive health professionals champion policies that secure environmental justice. Beauty product use is an understudied source of environmental chemical exposures. Beauty products can include reproductive and developmental toxicants such as phthalates and heavy metals; however, disclosure requirements are limited and inconsistent. Compared with white women, women of color have higher levels of beauty product-related environmental chemicals in their bodies, independent of socioeconomic status. Even small exposures to toxic chemicals during critical periods of development (such as pregnancy) can trigger adverse health consequences (such as impacts on fertility and pregnancy, neurodevelopment, and cancer). In this commentary, we seek to highlight the connections between environmental justice and beauty product-related chemical exposures. We describe racial/ethnic differences in beauty product use (such as skin lighteners, hair straighteners, and feminine hygiene products) and the potential chemical exposures and health risks that are associated with these products. We also discuss how targeted advertising can take advantage of mainstream beauty norms to influence the use of these products. Reproductive health professionals can use this information to advance environmental justice by being prepared to counsel patients who have questions about toxic environmental exposures from beauty care products and other sources. Researchers and healthcare providers can also promote health-protective policies such as improved ingredient testing and disclosure for the beauty product industry. Future clinical and public health research should consider beauty product use as a factor that may shape health inequities in women's reproductive health across the life course.
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Gray JM, Rasanayagam S, Engel C, Rizzo J. State of the evidence 2017: an update on the connection between breast cancer and the environment. Environ Health 2017; 16:94. [PMID: 28865460 PMCID: PMC5581466 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0287-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this review, we examine the continually expanding and increasingly compelling data linking radiation and various chemicals in our environment to the current high incidence of breast cancer. Singly and in combination, these toxicants may have contributed significantly to the increasing rates of breast cancer observed over the past several decades. Exposures early in development from gestation through adolescence and early adulthood are particularly of concern as they re-shape the program of genetic, epigenetic and physiological processes in the developing mammary system, leading to an increased risk for developing breast cancer. In the 8 years since we last published a comprehensive review of the relevant literature, hundreds of new papers have appeared supporting this link, and in this update, the evidence on this topic is more extensive and of better quality than that previously available. CONCLUSION Increasing evidence from epidemiological studies, as well as a better understanding of mechanisms linking toxicants with development of breast cancer, all reinforce the conclusion that exposures to these substances - many of which are found in common, everyday products and byproducts - may lead to increased risk of developing breast cancer. Moving forward, attention to methodological limitations, especially in relevant epidemiological and animal models, will need to be addressed to allow clearer and more direct connections to be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M. Gray
- Department of Psychology and Program in Science, Technology, and Society, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0246 USA
| | - Sharima Rasanayagam
- Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, 1388 Sutter St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94109-5400 USA
| | - Connie Engel
- Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, 1388 Sutter St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94109-5400 USA
| | - Jeanne Rizzo
- Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, 1388 Sutter St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94109-5400 USA
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Sulaiman NBS, Mohan CD, Basappa, Pandey V, Rangappa S, Bharathkumar H, Kumar AP, Lobie PE, Rangappa KS. An azaspirane derivative suppresses growth and induces apoptosis of ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells through the modulation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Int J Oncol 2016; 49:1221-9. [DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2016.3615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Stiel L, Adkins-Jackson PB, Clark P, Mitchell E, Montgomery S. A review of hair product use on breast cancer risk in African American women. Cancer Med 2016; 5:597-604. [PMID: 26773423 PMCID: PMC4799949 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence rate of breast cancer for African American women has recently converged with that of non-Hispanic White women in the United States, although African Americans have a higher mortality rate due to this disease. Although most research exploring health disparities associated with this phenomenon has focused on differences between women based on biology and behavior, both the academic and lay communities have begun to explore the potential role of environmental exposure to estrogen and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This study reviews the current state of the science associating one such means of exposure, hair products containing EDCs, with breast cancer risk in African American women. We found a growing body of evidence linking: (1) environmental estrogen and EDC exposures to breast cancer risk, (2) the presence of such chemicals in personal care products, including hair products, and (3) the use of certain hair products with potential breast cancer risk in African Americans. At the same time, there is also increasing concern in the lay community about this risk. These results indicate the need for additional research, and the opportunity to benefit from strategic partnerships in community-collaborative approaches in order to better understand the potential "cost of beauty."
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Stiel
- Department of Social Work and Social Ecology, Loma Linda University, San Bernardino, California
| | | | | | - Eudora Mitchell
- Quinn Community Outreach Corporation, Moreno Valley, California
| | - Susanne Montgomery
- School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
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Ozaki H, Sugihara K, Watanabe Y, Ohta S, Kitamura S. Cytochrome P450-inhibitory activity of parabens and phthalates used in consumer products. J Toxicol Sci 2016; 41:551-60. [DOI: 10.2131/jts.41.551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hitomi Ozaki
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University
| | - Kazumi Sugihara
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hiroshima International University
| | | | - Shigeru Ohta
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University
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Myers SL, Yang CZ, Bittner GD, Witt KL, Tice RR, Baird DD. Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity of off-the-shelf hair and skin care products. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2015; 25:271-7. [PMID: 24849798 PMCID: PMC4318791 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2014.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Use of personal care products is widespread in the United States but tends to be greater among African Americans than whites. Of special concern is the possible hazard of absorption of chemicals with estrogenic activity (EA) or anti-EA (AEA) in these products. Such exposure may have adverse health effects, especially when it occurs during developmental windows (e.g., prepubertally) when estrogen levels are low. We assessed the ethanol extracts of eight commonly used hair and skin products popular among African Americans for EA and AEA using a cell proliferation assay with the estrogen sensitive MCF-7:WS8 cell line derived from a human breast cancer. Four of the eight personal care products tested (Oil Hair Lotion, Extra-dry Skin Lotion, Intensive Skin Lotion, Petroleum Jelly) demonstrated detectable EA, whereas three (Placenta Hair Conditioner, Tea-Tree Hair Conditioner, Cocoa Butter Skin Cream) exhibited AEA. Our data indicate that hair and skin care products can have EA or AEA, and suggest that laboratory studies are warranted to investigate the in vivo activity of such products under chronic exposure conditions as well as epidemiologic studies to investigate potential adverse health effects that might be associated with use of such products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon L. Myers
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- University of California Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | | | - George D. Bittner
- CertiChem, Austin, TX, USA
- Neurobiology Section and School of Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kristine L. Witt
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Raymond R. Tice
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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26
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Kessler R. More than cosmetic changes: taking stock of personal care product safety. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2015; 123:A120-7. [PMID: 25933009 PMCID: PMC4421754 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.123-a120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
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Carpenter DO, Bushkin-Bedient S. Exposure to chemicals and radiation during childhood and risk for cancer later in life. J Adolesc Health 2013; 52:S21-9. [PMID: 23601608 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2012] [Revised: 01/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Many chemical carcinogens are in food, water, air, household products, and personal care products. Although genetic susceptibility is an important factor in how an individual responds to exposure to a carcinogen, heritable genetic factors alone account for only a minor portion of cancer rates. METHODS We review the evidence that early life exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and ionizing radiation results in elevations in cancer later in life. RESULTS Because cells are rapidly dividing and organ systems are developing during childhood and adolescence, exposure to carcinogens during these early life stages is a major risk factor for cancer later in life. Because young people have many expected years of life, the clinical manifestations of cancers caused by carcinogens have more time in which to develop during characteristically long latency periods. Many chemical carcinogens persist in the body for decades and increase risk for all types of cancers. Carcinogens may act via mutagenic, nonmutagenic, or epigenetic mechanisms and may also result from disruption of endocrine systems. The problem is magnified by the fact that many chemical carcinogens have become an integral part of our food and water supply and are in air and the general environment. CONCLUSIONS The early life onset of a lifelong exposure to mixtures of multiple environmental chemical carcinogens and radiation contributes significantly to the etiology of cancer in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- David O Carpenter
- Institute for Health and Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York 12144-3429, USA.
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Assessing the effects of estrogen on the dynamics of breast cancer. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2012; 2012:473572. [PMID: 23365616 PMCID: PMC3536317 DOI: 10.1155/2012/473572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2012] [Revised: 11/02/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, breast cancer has become the second most common cancer in women. The disease has currently been named the most deadly cancer in women but little is known on what causes the disease. We present the effects of estrogen as a risk factor on the dynamics of breast cancer. We develop a deterministic mathematical model showing general dynamics of breast cancer with immune response. This is a four-population model that includes tumor cells, host cells, immune cells, and estrogen. The effects of estrogen are then incorporated in the model. The results show that the presence of extra estrogen increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
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29
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James-Todd T, Senie R, Terry MB. Racial/Ethnic Differences in Hormonally-Active Hair Product Use: A Plausible Risk Factor for Health Disparities. J Immigr Minor Health 2011; 14:506-11. [DOI: 10.1007/s10903-011-9482-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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James-Todd T, Terry MB, Rich-Edwards J, Deierlein A, Senie R. Childhood hair product use and earlier age at menarche in a racially diverse study population: a pilot study. Ann Epidemiol 2011; 21:461-5. [PMID: 21421329 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2011.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2010] [Revised: 01/18/2011] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous studies suggest that hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals could alter puberty. We evaluated the association between childhood hair product use and age at menarche in a racially diverse study population. METHODS We recruited 300 African-American, African-Caribbean, Hispanic, and white women from the New York City metropolitan area who were between 18-77 years of age. Data were collected retrospectively on hair oil, lotion, leave-in conditioner, perm, and other types of hair products used before age 13. Recalled age at menarche ranged from 8 to 19 years. We used multivariable binomial regression to evaluate the association between hair product use and age at menarche (<12 vs. ≥12), adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS African-Americans were more likely to use hair products and reached menarche earlier than other racial/ethnic groups. Women reporting childhood hair oil use had a risk ratio of 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-1.9) for earlier menarche, adjusting for race/ethnicity and year of birth. Hair perm users had an increased risk for earlier menarche (adjusted risk ratio = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.8). Other types of hair products assessed in this study were not associated with earlier menarche. CONCLUSIONS Childhood hair oil and perm use were associated with earlier menarche. If replicated, these results suggest that hair product use may be important to measure in evaluating earlier age at menarche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamarra James-Todd
- Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA
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31
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Han YY, Dinse GE, Umbach DM, Davis DL, Weissfeld JL. Age-period-cohort analysis of cancers not related to tobacco, screening, or HIV: sex and race differences. Cancer Causes Control 2010; 21:1227-36. [PMID: 20373012 PMCID: PMC2904415 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-010-9550-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2008] [Accepted: 03/19/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify trends in a residual category of cancers not typically associated with tobacco, screening, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS For persons aged 20-84, we used sex- and race-specific age-period-cohort (APC) models to describe temporal patterns of incidence (1975-2004) and mortality (1970-2004) in the U.S. for a residual cancer category that excluded non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma, and cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, larynx, lung and bronchus, urinary bladder, kidney and renal pelvis, colon and rectum, prostate, female breast, and cervix uteri. RESULTS Age-specific incidence rose (0.1-0.9% per year, on average) in every sex-race group, with factors related to both time period and birth cohort membership appearing to accelerate the increases in women. Age-specific mortality fell (0.6-0.9% per year, on average) for black and white men and women, with the declines decelerating in white women but accelerating in the other sex-race groups. Extrapolations of APC models predicted higher age-adjusted incidence rates in white women (11%), black women (5%), and white men (4%) in 2005-2009, relative to 2000-2004, and lower rates in black men (-3%), accompanied by lower age-adjusted mortality rates in every sex-race group (-8% in black men, -3% in black women, -1% in white men, and -1% in white women). CONCLUSIONS The possibility that increased incidence in women over time reflects changes in underlying risks, diagnostic practices, or better case ascertainment should be actively explored. Declining mortality may signify improvements in cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueh-Ying Han
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232
| | - Gregg E. Dinse
- Biostatistics Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - David M. Umbach
- Biostatistics Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Devra L. Davis
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232
| | - Joel L. Weissfeld
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232
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Han YY, Davis DL, Weissfeld JL, Dinse GE. Generational risks for cancers not related to tobacco, screening, or treatment in the United States. Cancer 2010; 116:940-8. [PMID: 20052736 PMCID: PMC2893394 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess trends in cancer, the authors evaluated the risk of 1 generation compared with that 25 years earlier (generational risk) for 3 groupings of cancers: those related to tobacco; those that reflect advances in screening or treatment; and a residual category of all other cancers. METHODS In individuals ages 20 years to 84 years, age-period-cohort models were used to summarize time trends in terms of generational risk and average annual percentage change for US cancer incidence (1975-2004) and mortality (1970-2004) rates associated with these 3 cancer groupings. RESULTS Adult white men today developed 16% fewer tobacco-related cancers and had 21% fewer deaths because of those cancers than their fathers' generation, whereas adult white women experienced increases of 28% and 19%, respectively, relative to their mothers. The incidence of commonly screened cancers rose 74% in men and 10% in women, whereas mortality fell 25% in men and 31% in women. For cancers that have not been linked chiefly to tobacco or screening, the incidence was 34% and 23% higher in white men and white women, respectively, than in their parents' generation 25 years earlier. Mortality in this residual category decreased 14% in men and 18% in women. Results among blacks were qualitatively similar to those among whites. CONCLUSIONS Despite declining overall cancer death rates, adults are experiencing increased incidence of cancers that are not associated with tobacco or screening relative to their parents. Future research should examine whether similar patterns are exhibited in other modern nations and should identify population-wide avoidable risks that could account for unexplained increases in these residual cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueh-Ying Han
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Russ
- University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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34
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Olson AC, Link JS, Waisman JR, Kupiec TC. Breast Cancer Patients Unknowingly Dosing Themselves With Estrogen by Using Topical Moisturizers. J Clin Oncol 2009; 27:e103-4. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2009.23.1225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Abstract
Approximately 7% of women with breast cancer are diagnosed before the age of 40 years, and this disease accounts for more than 40% of all cancer in women in this age group. Survival rates are worse when compared to those in older women, and multivariate analysis has shown younger age to be an independent predictor of adverse outcome. Inherited syndromes, specifically BRCA1 and BRCA2, must be considered when developing treatment algorithms for younger women. Chemotherapy, endocrine, and local therapies have the potential to significantly impact both the physiologic health-including future fertility, premature menopause, and bone health-and the psychological health of young women as they face a diagnosis of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carey K Anders
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7305, USA.
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36
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Charles AK, Darbre PD. Oestrogenic activity of benzyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate and butylphenylmethylpropional (Lilial) in MCF7 human breast cancer cellsin vitro. J Appl Toxicol 2009; 29:422-34. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.1429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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McGrath KG. Apocrine sweat gland obstruction by antiperspirants allowing transdermal absorption of cutaneous generated hormones and pheromones as a link to the observed incidence rates of breast and prostate cancer in the 20th century. Med Hypotheses 2009; 72:665-74. [PMID: 19307063 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2009] [Revised: 01/27/2009] [Accepted: 01/28/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Breast and prostate cancer share similarities and likely represent homologous cancers in females and males, respectively. The role of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen in carcinogenesis is well established. Despite worldwide research efforts, the pathogenesis of these diseases is largely not well understood. Personal care products containing estrogens or xenoestrogens have raised concern as a breast cancer risk, especially in young African-American women. In the United States (US) there is a parallel rise in the incidence in breast and prostate cancer compared to selected non-hormone dependent tumors. Observed US and global breast and prostate cancer incidence increases were occurring before exogenous hormone replacement and xenoestrogen exposure were commonplace. An unintentional, inadvertent, and long term hormone exposure may occur from transdermal absorption of sex hormones and pheromones (androgens) from axillary apocrine sweat gland obstruction by aluminum-based antiperspirants. The global rise in antiperspirant use parallels rises in breast and prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates. A multi-disciplinary literature based set of evidence is presented on how such a link is possible, to prompt confirmatory investigations in the pursuit of unmet needs in breast and prostate cancer etiology and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kris G McGrath
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology, 676 North St. Clair Street, Suite 14018, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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A long-term user of cosmetic cream containing estrogen developed breast cancer and endometrial hyperplasia. Menopause 2009; 15:1191-2. [PMID: 18997588 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0b013e318172847d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A 93-year-old woman was referred to our clinic for abnormal genital bleeding. It was found that she had endometrial hyperplasia and breast cancer. Her uterus was as large as that of a normal adult menstruating woman. She indicated that she had been applying cosmetic cream containing a low concentration of ethynylestradiol to her face and body three times a day for 75 years. It is possible that this long-term use of the ethynylestradiol-containing cream is related to the development of breast cancer and endometrial hyperplasia.
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Darbre PD, Harvey PW. Paraben esters: review of recent studies of endocrine toxicity, absorption, esterase and human exposure, and discussion of potential human health risks. J Appl Toxicol 2008; 28:561-78. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.1358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 484] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Charlton BG. A book of ideas collected from Medical Hypotheses: Death can be cured by Roger Dobson. Med Hypotheses 2008; 70:905-9. [PMID: 18280670 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2008.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
A new collection of ideas from Medical Hypotheses by Roger Dobson is entitled Death can be cured and 99 other Medical Hypotheses. It consists of humorous summaries of Medical Hypotheses articles from the past 30 years. The book's humour derives mainly from the subject matter, although sometimes also from the 'unconventional' approach of the authors with respect to matters such as evidence, argument or inference. Medical Hypotheses has generated such a lot of apparently- or actually-bizarre ideas because it aims to be open to potentially revolutionary science. The journal's official stance is that more harm is done by a failure to publish one idea that might have been true, than by publishing a dozen ideas that turn out to be false. Bizarre ideas tend to catch attention, and may stimulate a valuable response--even when a paper is mostly-wrong. A paper may be flawed but still contain the germ of an idea that can be elaborated and developed. The journal review process is susceptible to both false positives and false negatives. False positives occur when we publish an idea that is wrong; false negatives occur when we fail to publish an important idea that is right, and a potential scientific breakthrough never happens. False positives are more obvious, since the paper will be ignored, refuted, or fail to be replicated--and often attracts criticism and controversy. Editors may therefore take the more cautious path of avoiding false positives more assiduously than false negatives; however, this policy progressively favours less-ambitious science. Consequently, in Medical Hypotheses the 'set point' of risk is nearer to the false positive end of the spectrum than for most journals - and the publication of many apparently-bizarre papers is a natural consequence of this policy.
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Sasco AJ. Cancer and globalization. Biomed Pharmacother 2008; 62:110-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2007.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2007] [Accepted: 10/24/2007] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Cancer, environnement et populations à l’heure de la mondialisation. ONCOLOGIE 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s10269-007-0693-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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