Authors
Charlier C, Albert A, Herman P, Hamoir E, Gaspard U, Meurisse M, Plomteux G.

Title:
Breast cancer and serum organochlorine residues.

Source:
Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 60:348-351. 2003.

Summary
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in developed countries, and its incidence rate has been increasing over the past few decades. Although detection methods have greatly improved, they cannot fully account for the rate increases. Endocrine disrupters are thought to be environmental risk factors for cancer development.

The study by Charlier et al. sought to compare total DDT and HCB blood levels in 159 Belgium women with confirmed breast cancer and 250 presumable healthy controls. Serum concentrations of both analyses were quantified using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The organochlorine p,p'-DDE (a DDT isomer) was the most frequently detected pesticide (~ 84% of samples). Within the control group, pesticide residues were undetectable in 24% of the women, whereas only 2.5% of women in the breast cancer group had no detectable residues. Total DDT and HCB serum concentrations were significantly higher in women with breast cancer compared to the control subjects. Estrogen receptor status (available for 102 women within the breast cancer group) and tumour size (documented in 90 women) were not found to be correlated with either total DDT or HCB concentrations. The results of an administered questionnaire indicated that the two groups of women were similar with respect to living environment, breastfeeding report, and smoking habits. The observed DDT and HCB levels had no correlation with smoking habits or living environment. However, DDT concentrations were related to age; HCB levels were not.

This study suggests that blood serum levels of DDT and HCB are more strongly associated with breast cancer patients than controls. However, conflicting results do exist among studies investigating such a relationship. Since all epidemiological studies differ in the selected population, the detected compounds, the time of blood sampling, and the analytical methods used, results should be interpreted with caution. Further research into the role of organochlorine compounds in cancer development is warranted.