Researchers have identified 920 chemicals whose biological activity suggests they could increase breast cancer risk, with the substances found in everyday products, food, drinking water, medicines and pesticides.
The findings raise concerns about the widespread exposure people may face through consumer products and the environment.
The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, is the latest work by researchers from the Silent Spring Institute and other institutions to examine where these chemicals are found and how people may be exposed to them.
The chemicals, known as breast cancer-relevant chemicals or BC-Chems, were identified because they have been shown to cause mammary tumours in rodents or to activate biological pathways involving hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. The researchers stressed, however, that the list does not mean all 920 chemicals have been proven to cause breast cancer in humans.
Using data from US government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration, the researchers examined chemical production, environmental releases, consumer uses and potential sources of exposure.
They found that hundreds of the chemicals occur across multiple areas of daily life.
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👉 JOIN WHATSAPP CHANNELAbout 500 BC-Chems were known or predicted to occur in consumer products, while 462 were linked to dietary sources. Another 162 were associated with drinking water, 485 with pesticide formulations, 142 with pharmaceuticals and 106 with construction materials.
The researchers also found evidence of widespread industrial emissions. Billions of pounds of BC-Chems were emitted into the air in the United States in 2020, while tens of millions of pounds were released into the environment through industrial activities in 2024.
In 2019, 143 of the chemicals were produced or imported at volumes of at least one million pounds, highlighting the scale at which some of these substances are used in the US economy.
Some of the chemicals were of particular concern because of their ability to interfere with hormones. Others have been identified as genotoxic or as capable of causing mammary tumours in animal studies.
The researchers said many of the chemicals can reach people through more than one pathway, potentially resulting in repeated or combined exposure.
The study comes as breast cancer rates continue to rise in the United States, particularly among younger women. The researchers argue that environmental exposures may be one part of the picture alongside established risk factors such as genetics, reproductive history, obesity and other factors.
However, the study does not establish that exposure to any particular chemical causes breast cancer in humans. Instead, it brings together evidence about the biological activity of the chemicals and information about where people may encounter them.
The researchers say identifying chemicals that are produced in large quantities, occur across multiple exposure sources or are taken into the body at relatively high levels could help determine which substances deserve greater attention.
They are calling for stronger monitoring of chemical exposures and policies aimed at reducing exposure, including tighter controls on contaminants in drinking water and reducing the use of potentially harmful chemicals in common products.
The researchers said the findings could help health agencies and policymakers determine which chemicals and chemical mixtures should be prioritised for further research, monitoring, regulation or replacement with safer alternatives.
The study highlights how widespread exposure to potential breast cancer-relevant chemicals may be and argues that greater transparency about where these substances are found could help identify opportunities to reduce exposure and potentially prevent harm.
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