We Don’t Need Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Maybe we did 30 years ago.

But in 2024, we don’t need Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

We all know about it. Almost everyone I know has been affected by breast cancer in one way or another.

No, we don’t need more awareness.

We need action. We need prevention. We need stricter regulation on the chemicals and contaminants that we already know are contributing to breast cancer risk.

Breast cancer rates are going up among young people.

A study published in January 2024 found that breast cancer rates among women under 50 are increasing… And it’s getting worse.

Researchers analyzed data from over 217,000 U.S. women with breast cancer between 2000 and 2019. They found a total 3.13% increase from 2000 to 2016, then a much sharper 3.76% annual increase from 2016 to 2019.

A 3-4% increase may seem small in percentage terms, but when you apply it to a large population, the impact is significant, especially when you consider how it compounds each year.

The researchers from that study also discovered a difference in breast cancer risk based on birth year. According to Toriola, the study’s senior author, the most striking finding was that women born in 1990 had more than a 20% higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those born in 1955.

They also found differences in diagnosis by race and ethnicity, with Black women being most at-risk and Hispanic women being least at-risk. Other data shows that white women (of all ages) have a higher incidence of breast cancer, but that they also have a higher survival rate than Black women.

And not only are more young people being diagnosed, but they are also being diagnosed with more aggressive forms of breast cancer.

The death rate from breast cancer has been on a steady decline since 1989 (although that decline has slowed in more recent years). This is obviously great news, but treatment is still costly in all the ways—financially, mentally, etc.

Genetics make up only 5-10% of breast cancer cases.

While it’s common to associate breast cancer with genetics, inherited mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for only 5-10% of all breast cancer cases.

This means that the vast majority of breast cancer cases are linked to other factors, primarily environmental exposures and lifestyle.

We already know what causes breast cancer.

We may not have every single piece of the puzzle figured out, but we already have so much information about what increases breast cancer risk.

It is well established that constant exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, air pollution, and water pollution increases the risk of breast cancer… And yet not nearly enough is being done on a societal level to reduce our exposures.

Breast Cancer Prevention Partners has an excellent resource on the different risk (and protective) factors, which I encourage you to check out. But I’m going to focus specifically on toxic chemicals and air/water pollution (since that’s what I do!).

How environmental toxins contribute to breast cancer

Breast cancer risk is influenced by long-term exposure to certain chemicals that mimic hormones or act as carcinogens. Many of these chemicals are found in everyday items, including personal care products, plastics, and cleaning supplies.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

EDCs interfere with the body’s hormone systems, particularly estrogen, which plays a significant role in the development of breast cancer. Some EDCs that have been linked to breast cancer and are commonly found in our personal care products, cleaning products, and overall environment include:

• Alkylphenols (found in detergents & cleaners)
• Aromatic amines (used in commercial hair dyes)
• Atrazine (a common herbicide)
• Bisphenols, such as BPA (found in everyday products like hard plastics, paper receipts, and canned goods)
• Chlorpyrifos (a commonly used pesticide)
• DDT (a legacy pesticide that still very much contaminates our environment)
• Dioxins (used in manufacturing & commonly found in food and water)
• Chemical flame retardants such as PDBEs
• Parabens (used as preservatives in personal care & cleaning products)
• PFAS (used in water-resistant products & non-stick cookware)
• Phthalates (commonly used in fragranced products and soft plastics)

Carcinogens

Here are some of the carcinogens linked to breast cancer that are commonly found in our environment and everyday products. (Some of the chemicals above have been identified as both endocrine-disruptors and carcinogens, but I won’t list them here twice.)

• 1,4-dioxane: (a common contaminant in all kinds of personal care & cleaning products due to the manufacturing process)
• Benzene (commonly in air pollution but also can be a contaminant in everyday products)
• Cadmium (a heavy metal that contaminates our soil and therefore crops)
• Ethylene oxide (another common contaminant in soaps & personal care products due to the manufacturing process)
• Formaldehyde (used in things like hair treatments, nail polish, glues, and furniture)
• “Fragrance” (can include carcinogens such as benzophenone, methyleugenol, and styrene)
• Oxybenzone and other chemical sunscreens
• PCBS (which have been banned but still heavily contaminate our environment due to their persistent nature)

Air pollution

Researchers have made significant connections between exposure to certain air pollutants and breast cancer, especially in areas with high levels of vehicle and industrial emissions.

For example:

• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2): One of the most studied pollutants, nitrogen dioxide is often used as a measure of vehicle traffic emissions. Research consistently shows that higher levels of NO2 are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, particularly in premenopausal women and hormone receptor-positive cancers.

• Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀): These tiny particles come from vehicle emissions, industrial combustion, and wildfires. Particulate matter can be inhaled deeply into the lungs, where it enters the bloodstream and can contribute to widespread health issues, including breast cancer. Some studies have found stronger links between particulate matter and breast cancer risk in certain geographic areas, though results can vary depending on location and socioeconomic factors. A 2023 study found an 8% increase in breast cancer incidence for living in areas with higher PM_2.5 exposure.

Water pollution

Water pollution is another environmental factor linked to breast cancer. Industrial contamination of drinking water supplies has been shown to increase the risk of developing breast cancer, particularly in communities located near polluting industries.

One specific example of this link is the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. From 1953 to 1987, the base’s drinking water was tainted with industrial solvents like tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and benzene, among other toxicants.

This exposure led to higher rates of several cancers, including male breast cancer, which is quite rare.

Chemicals commonly found in drinking water that are linked to breast cancer include:

• Benzene: Found in industrial waste and byproducts from fossil fuel extraction and processing, benzene is a known carcinogen that has been linked to breast cancer risk.

• Vinyl Chloride: This chemical, used in making PVC plastics, is another industrial byproduct that can contaminate water supplies and is associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer.

• PFAS: Our water is commonly contaminated with these “forever chemicals”, and most industrial water facilities are not currently set up to adequately filter out PFAS before they get to your tap. Although the EPA has recently put new regulations on PFAS in drinking water (👏!), these regulations are not yet rolled out. PFAS have been associated with breast cancer risk in multiple studies.

• Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE): Common industrial solvents, as mentioned above in the Camp LeJeune case. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to increased breast cancer risk, particularly in areas near industrial activity.

Plastics

Some of the chemicals I listed above (like phthalates, bisphenols, PFAS, and vinyl chloride) are used in plastics production.

But we could also talk about the role plastics play in breast cancer risk in a more general way, from production to disposal.

• Petrochemical Extraction: Plastics are derived from fossil fuels, and the extraction of petrochemicals releases toxic substances like benzene, which is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.

• Manufacturing: The production of plastics like PVC involves toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride and ethylene dichloride, both of which are breast carcinogens. Workers and nearby communities are at high risk of exposure during this process. PFAS are also commonly used in plastics manufacturing.

• Additives: As I mentioned, plastics often contain toxic chemical additives like phthalates, bisphenols, flame retardants, antimicrobials, and others.

• Transportation and disposal: Transporting plastics can result in spills and accidents, as seen in the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, where large amounts of vinyl chloride were released and burned, creating toxic dioxins. Dioxins are potent carcinogens that increase breast cancer risk.

• Microplastics: Tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, break down from larger plastic waste and are now found in water, food, air, and even human tissues like blood and breast milk. These microplastics are probably toxic in and of themselves, but they can also be carriers for even more toxic chemicals, leading to inflammation, oxidative stress, and long-term health risks, and therefore likely increasing breast cancer risk as well.

There’s a lot you can do to decrease breast cancer risk.

I know I’ve shared a lot of bad news so far.

But I promise I have good news, too: there is a lot that is within you control to reduce breast cancer risk.

And even better news: evidence suggests you can reduce your risk quickly. A 2023 study found that women who got rid of endocrine-disruptors (phthalates and parabens) in their personal care products for 28 days were able to reduce breast cancer risk by 73%.

Researchers collected blood, urine, and breast tissue cells from cancer-free women to look at their cancer-related gene expression. They found that the expression of 73% of known cancer-associated genes shifted to a ‘normal’ profile after the 28-day intervention.

In other words: by just switching up their personal care products, they were able to measurably reduce their breast cancer risk in less than one month!

I love studies like this because it shows that all the work you’re doing to switch to healthier products is not in vain.

You are really making a difference in decreasing your overall risk of chronic illness.

So, in addition to getting rid of personal care products that contain parabens and phthalates, here are a bunch of other things you can do:

• Do regular self exams (the Know Your Lemons app can help!)
• Use an air filter
• Use a water filter
• Wet dust regularly and vacuum with a HEPA filter, if you can (household dust can be a major source of things like flame retardants, PFAS, and phthalates)
• Quit smoking
• Limit alcohol intake
• Decrease plastic & packaging use when you can (to-go foods/drinks, canned goods, plastic water bottles, food storage, etc.)
• Gradually switch to non-toxic products throughout your household, including cleaning products, furniture, clothing, cookware, etc. (That’s what we’re here to help you with!)
• Move your body regularly
• Eat a variety of whole foods & minimize processed foods when possible
• Eat enough fiber and go to the bathroom regularly (this helps to eliminate all kinds of toxicants as well as excess estrogen)
• Choose organic food when you can
• Eliminate or minimize pesticide use at your home
• Try to decrease artificial light at nighttime (and get natural sunlight during the day)
• Try to limit radiation exposure
• Consider if hormonal birth control is right for you
• Breastfeed

And don’t fall for pinkwashing

“Pinkwashing” is when companies use breast cancer awareness campaigns to sell products, even if those products contain chemicals linked to the disease.

I recently found a bunch of pinkwashing examples so you can see what I mean.

So when you’re shopping, ignore the pink ribbons and read the ingredient labels instead.

We’re matching donations to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners this month

For the month of October, The Filtery will match reader donations to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) up to $1000 USD.

BCPP is an amazing non-profit organization that is working to prevent breast cancer by eliminating toxic chemicals and other environmental exposures that lead to breast cancer.

If you donate to BCPP, just email your receipt to support@thefiltery.com and we’ll match it!