Link Between Flame Retardants and Breast Cancer Under Review
The Claim
Common household items containing flame retardant have been linked to breast cancer risk.
News posted on
Emerging story
In the past week, websites such as Chemical Free Life and Daily HealthPost posted articles claiming that household items with flame retardants are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. A range of social media users have posted similar claims based on these articles.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the source that these articles used, which is a study published in February in the scientific journal Toxicological Sciences. It states that mammary glands are “vulnerable to the effects of endocrine disruptors,” which are chemicals that disrupt the body’s hormones. The study goes on to explain that flame retardants have impaired mammary gland development in animals who are going through puberty. It assesses whether flame retardants could cause the same process in humans. Results suggest that exposure to an environmentally relevant mixture of brominated flame retardants may lead to early mammary glands development.
In May 2020, a study published in the journal Environmental Health that investigated flame retardants and breast cancer could find no clear association between flame retardants and the development of breast cancer. The study stated that more analysis needed to be conducted to associate any risk of breast cancer and flame retardants.
