Subject: Pesticides and Breast Cancer----
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 07:10:24 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
I thought you might be interested in an e-mail that I
received this morning. Steve
Actually, we've dug up three studies that link pyrethroid
pesticides and breast cancer, including the Mt. Sinai study Susan published
below, and there is also a link with lowered testosterone levels in men. Brief
summaries of these follow:
Sumithrin (Anvil), resmethrin (Scourge) and permethrin
(often used in household bug sprays) each belong to a class of pesticides
known as pyrethroids. Sumithrin and resmethrin were not among the pyrethroids
specifically studied in all medical studies reported on this page, but these
pesticides are closely related to each other.
*****Links between pyrethroids and breast cancer
Several studies indicate pyrethroids disrupt the
endocrine system by mimicking the effects of the female hormone estrogen. This
in turn can cause breast cancer in women and lowered sperm counts in men. When
estrogen levels are elevated, old cells are not removed from the body and cell
proliferation occurs, whether benign or malignant.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine: This study examined four
pyrethroid pesticides, including sumithrin. It concludes ³Overall, our
studies imply that each pyrethroid compound is unique in its ability to
influence several cellular pathways. These findings suggest that pyrethroids
should be considered to be hormone disruptors, and their potential to affect
endocrine function in humans and wildlife should be investigated.²
[Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 107, no. 3, March 1999, pages
173-177.]
The Roger Williams General Hospital, Brown University:
This study on pyrethroids concludes ³Chronic exposure of humans or animals to
pesticides containing these compounds may result in disturbances in endocrine
effects.² [Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, March 1990, volume 35, issue 3-4,
pages 409-414.]
Cambridge University: A report issued in June 2000 by the
Royal Society in England and written by a group from Cambridge University
called for international cooperation to deal with the dangers posed by
endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including pyrethroids, and recommends reducing
human exposure to these chemicals.
*****Links between insecticides and testosterone
decreases
University of Greifswald: Several pesticides used as
herbicides, insecticides and fungicides known to be endocrine disrupting
chemicals were examined in this series of German studies. Acute and chronic
pesticide exposure led to changes in sex hormone concentrations, with
concentrations of testosterone decreasing one day after acute exposure. These
studies found ³a hormonal and immune suppression after acute exposure.² [³Disruption
of male sex hormones with regard to pesticides,² Toxicology Letters, June 30,
1999;107(1-3):225-31 ]
If you would like to be included in our mailing list for continuing
information on pesticides, Email Us.
with "subscribe" in the subject line.