US EPA

1598391 

Journal Article 

Endocrine disruptors and hormone dependant cancers. Mechanisms and proposals to reduce the risks 

Rochefort, H; Jouannet, P 

2011 

1 

Bulletin de l'Académie Nationale de Médecine
ISSN: 0001-4079
EISSN: 2271-4820 

195 

8 

1965-1979 

WOS:000306090600029 

Concerned by the increasing incidence of breast, prostate and testis cancers in industrialized countries, including in Europe, we conducted an overview of the international literature and French national reports on the potential carcinogenic effect of several endocrine disruptors (EDs) found in the environment. We explain why it is extremely difficult to obtain epidemiological proof of a carcinogenic effect of EDs in humans. This is partly responsible for the long-term polemic regarding this issue. However, the results of a series of independent studies are sufficient to strongly suspect such a carcinogenic effect, particularly in hormone-dependent cancers. They were obtained experimentally in rodents and by measuring levels of human exposure, in blood and urine. The lesson learned from the transgenerational carcinogenic effect of diethyl stilbestrol in pregnant women treated in the past with this synthetic estrogen, and in vivo results in rodents treated with bisphenol A, indicate that we should first protect pregnant and lactating women and young children. While decisions to reduce environmental levels of EDs like pesticides, dioxins and PCBs have already been taken, we focus on new safety proposals on bisphenol A and phthalates used in food packaging. We propose that, before prohibiting all use of bisphenol A in food packaging, more concerted research by biologists together with industry will be needed to develop safe substitutes. 

PESTICIDES; BISPHENOL A-GLYCIDYL METHACRYLAYTE; ESTORGENS; PROSTATIC NEOPLASMS; BREAST NEOPLASMS; TESTICULAR NEOPLASMS; DIOXINS; RISK FACTOR