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Dr. Kim Mulvihill reporting A new report issued today highlights the role our environment may play in breast cancer. It's a big report.
"What's the Connection Between the Enviroment and Breast Cancer" is sponsored by the Breast Cancer Fund and Breast Cancer Action.
When it comes to breast cancer, some factors increase your risk, such as family history, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight, or not having children.
"It's a very complex problem. We've tried to look at many many things."
What causes the vast majority of breast cancers remains a mystery. A new report confirms 50% of breast cancer cases are unexplained. But the authors point to what they call the culprits-- some synthetic chemicals now in use, and exposure to ionizing radiation.
They say thousands of chemicals have been released and many have never been tested for their effects on human health. And while there's no definitive proof, they say we need a cleaner environment now.
The report also names ionizing radiation as a culprit-- the type emitted by mammograms.
"We get ionizing radiation every day when we go outside and there are probably other things that are just as dangerous for us on a daily basis: microwaving in plastic for instance, or just walking across the street."
Dr. Leigh Newmayer, a breast cancer expert, hopes women don't get the wrong message and give up on them.
Dr. Leigh Neumayer, Univ. of Utah: "We don't have anything to replace it with. It still is the best way to diagnose breast cancer early."
It would be great if we had something better than mammography, but until we do, I considers mammograms safe, and encourage women to have them to diagnose breast cancer early.
