Is breast cancer linked to use of anti-perspirants?

This initial information I have found come from the National cancer institute.

Link: cis.nci.nih.gov...

an excerpt:

"A different study examining the frequency of underarm shaving and antiperspirant/deodorant use among 437 breast cancer survivors was released in 2003 (4). This study found that the age of breast cancer diagnosis was significantly lower in women who used these products and shaved their underarms more frequently. Furthermore, women who began both of these underarm hygiene habits before 16 years of age were diagnosed with breast cancer at an earlier age than those who began these habits later. While these results suggest that underarm shaving with the use of antiperspirants/deodorants may be related to breast cancer, it does not demonstrate a conclusive link between these underarm hygiene habits and breast cancer. Additional research is needed to investigate this relationship and other factors that may be involved.

Other research has focused on certain preservatives (parabens) that are used in deodorants and antiperspirants, as well as many cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical products. Parabens have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen (a hormone) in the body’s cells (5). Because estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the use of deodorants or antiperspirants could cause the accumulation of parabens in breast tissues, which may contribute to the development of breast cancer. This hypothesis was supported by a 2004 study that found parabens within 18 of 20 samples of tissue from human breast tumors (6). However, this study did not prove that parabens cause breast tumors (5). The authors of this study did not analyze healthy breast tissue or tissues from other areas of the body, and did not demonstrate that parabens are found only in cancerous breast tissue (6). Furthermore, this research did not identify the source of the parabens, and cannot establish that the accumulation of parabens is due to the use of deodorants or antiperspirants. More research is needed to specifically assess whether the use of deodorants or antiperspirants can cause the accumulation of parabens in breast tissue, and whether these chemicals can promote the development of breast cancer."

I had heard of links before to breast cancer and anti-perpirants (never heard anything about deoderants). This is because anti-perspirants block the sweat glands under the arm, but deoderants do not (they only mask the odor but still allow you to sweat). I dont' feel it's healthy to stop the body from doing anything it is naturally supposed to do (i.e. sweating).

some intersting references:

Darbre PD. Underarm cosmetics and breast cancer. Journal of Applied Toxicology 2003; 23(2):89–95.

Mirick DK, Davis S, Thomas DB. Antiperspirant use and the risk of breast cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002; 94(20):1578–1580.

McGrath KG. An earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis related to more frequent use of antiperspirants/deodorants and underarm shaving. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2003; 12(6):479–485.

another link: www.suite101.com...
This link is from the American Cancer Society!




[edit on 28-9-2005 by XanaX]

[edit on 28-9-2005 by XanaX]

Other related links that cover both sides of the issue:

www.goaskalice.columbia.edu...

This link states: "According to the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no conclusive evidence to substantiate the claim that antiperspirant use is linked with the development of breast cancer."

www.cancer.org...

This is from the American cancer society. The conclusion of this site is this: "There is absolutely no scientific evidence that antiperspirants cause or even increase a woman's risk for breast cancer," said Debbie Saslow, PhD, director of breast and cervical cancer for the American Cancer Society. "Unfortunately the 'leading' risk factors for breast cancer are things that women cannot do anything about: being a woman, aging, and having a personal or family history of breast cancer."

my.webmd.com...

This from from webmd: "Darbre says she is convinced antiperspirants can cause breast cancer but has received little support from the scientific community to test the hypothesis. If she gets funding, the researcher says she hopes to study whether aluminum, which is the active ingredient in most antiperspirants, is also present in breast tumor tissues and whether these chemicals are present in healthy breast tissue.

"I have no doubt that if chemicals in underarm cosmetics are involved in breast cancer, some people will be more susceptible to this than others," she says. "These products may be perfectly safe for some but not for others."

In an editorial accompanying the study, published in the January issue of the Journal of Applied Toxicology, toxicologist Philip W. Harvey, PhD, also calls for more research into the safety of parabens and other chemicals in cosmetics that may promote the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence of a harmful effect," he tells WebMD in an interview. "These chemicals are being directly applied daily, by very large numbers of people, and the long-term health effects of exposure are essentially unknown."

imaginis.com...

This is from imaginis, a breast health resource: "Though medical experts have been saying for years that neither the use of deodorants nor antiperspirants increase the risk of developing breast cancer, Internet and email rumors are still circulating to the contrary. Now, the results of the first study on the subject have been published. The findings, which did not find any link between deodorant/antiperspirant and breast cancer risk, should provide relief to women and put the rumors to rest."

cis.nci.nih.gov...

This is from the National Cancer Institute. Two separate studies were performed by them and the two studies found conflicting results.

It appears in quickly researching the topic, that the overwhelming belief in the medical field is that there is no link between anti-perspirants and breast cancer. But, there are some out there that have found some evidence to the contrary, which makes me feel it's worth a deeper look.



[edit on 28-9-2005 by XanaX]

[edit on 28-9-2005 by XanaX]

Originally posted by XanaX
aluminum, which is the active ingredient in most antiperspirants,

Aluminum! Think about it. Directly applying aluminum to be absorbed into your skin on a daily basis. Breast cancer, what about alzheimers? Who knows what else.

I ran to the health food stores for natural deodorant 6 years ago when I realized this. The kicker for me was my first mamogram (and they should have told me this before I got there since I needed to return to work for 5 more hours). Remove your deodorant first! What other reason could there be except for the heavy metal in it? I did ask the technicians why and none of them knew, they just said you have to do it. As I had already switched to a heavy metal free product I ignored them, but it really made me think.

Now, on a natural solution, many just don't cut it. You will not find an anti-perspirant, only deodorant. Here is the interesting part. I was a heavy sweater and didn't think I could ever go with just a deodorant, but I gave it a shot. After two weeks on the product I use, I stopped sweating. It was as if the heavy sweating was actually my body desperately fighting to flush the garbage out all those years. In other words, the use of anti-perspirant with aluminum was causing me to sweat MORE. That sealed it for me.

I don't care what the studies want to deny, my body gave me the truth. There is something inherently wrong with the commercial products on the shelves.

Any link is still disputed.

However..

I use Tom's Of Maine aluminium-free stuff....which might come as a surprise to some posters

Seriously, I have really bad skin reactions to most commercial products of that nature, so I stick with Tom's.

Aluminum! Think about it. Directly applying aluminum to be absorbed into your skin on a daily basis. Breast cancer, what about alzheimers?

Relentless, I have also heard about the link between aluminum and altzeimers. I also agree with what you said...trust your body not what the people that are selling a product want us to believe while they are making millions if not billions of dollars.

And don't trust the FDA, with plenty of reason not to. They have given me plenty of reason not to! It's all about money today...people are expendable! Sickening!

[edit on 29-9-2005 by XanaX]

We'll just ignore the part about many FDA approved drugs saving the lives of many, many people then, eh?

In this case, one extreme is as bad as the other.

If there's a link, it's so weak that it's almost coincidental.

Almost every woman in the first world countries uses deodorant (not all, but you could certainly say that 90% do.) Therefore, all women in first world countries should have the same mortality rate.

They don't:
www.amershamhealth.com...

England's got a much higher rate than the US and Canada. Japan and China's rates probably reflect the racial genetics.

There could very well be a connection, after all the product is applyed right next to your breast. But man use it too and they never got cancer in those areas? Maybe this is the proof than men are "smiley" ??? lol

anyway, jokes aside... it could very well be possible, just like i believe the sue of birth-control pill (in long terms) can cause ovarian cancer as well as myabe affect the fetus in his/hers sexual orientation (hormon growth)

Originally posted by BaastetNoir
There could very well be a connection, after all the product is applyed right next to your breast. But man use it too and they never got cancer in those areas? Maybe this is the proof than men are "smiley" ??? lol

That's actually a great point - surely we'd see astronomical increases in male breast cancer too?

anyway, jokes aside... it could very well be possible, just like i believe the sue of birth-control pill (in long terms) can cause ovarian cancer as well as myabe affect the fetus in his/hers sexual orientation (hormon growth)

BCP actually lowers your risk of ovarian cancer....it does, however, increase the risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer.

More info here

But man use it too and they never got cancer in those areas?

Men can get breast cancer too. It's just very uncommon, but it has happened and does happen. Men also have much less breast tissue, therefore, much less area that could get affected. Also, women are very more concerned about sweat and their underarm products are generally much higher in the materials that can potentially cause the problems.

info on breast cancer in men: www.menstuff.org...

Originally posted by XanaX
Men can get breast cancer too. It's just very uncommon, but it has happened and does happen. Men also have much less breast tissue, therefore, much less area that could get affected.

That's not quite how it works. You can be virtually flat chested and still develop breast cancer; if the triggers are all lined up, it wouldn't matter if you were Kate Moss or Dolly Parton - the absence or abundance of actual tissue is far less important than the cause itself. (This is also why even after mastectomy, breast cancer can return in the same "breast" area, even though there is only a relatively tiny amount of breast tissue remaining).

Also, women are very more concerned about sweat and their underarm products are generally much higher in the materials that can potentially cause the problems.

Source?

I'd think the opposite was true - men sweat more, and need more of the active ingredient to accomplish the same job.

We'll just ignore the part about many FDA approved drugs saving the lives of many, many people then, eh?

Who is ignoring this? Some of the FDA's shortcoming's have been brought up here as part of the topic. Every time someone says something negative about a group, must they also say something positive?

The FDA would have to approve some things that are good obviously. What the poster is talking about are some of the bad decisions made by the FDA and the fact that usually they are made on purpose because someone or a group is getting paid off.

Like Aspartame......it was not approved by the FDA for years until Reagan became president. He then fired the head of the FDA and the new head magically approved Aspartame....known to have three poisons in it. The makers of Aspartame paid big for that approval. Now, should I say something positive about the FDA to counter-balance my last statement? NO!

I'd think the opposite was true - men sweat more, and need more of the active ingredient to accomplish the same job.

Our society says it's okay for men to sweat, but not for women. So you would think women's products would be made to work better at keeping sweat away. You see a man with sweaty arm pits and it's not unexpected. You see a woman with sweaty pits and most people think "Oooh gross!" I'm not saying that is fair....but that's how it is.

I think in the end no matter what the cause of almost any disease, some people are more likely than others to develop certain diseases, while some have more immunity to them. Anything questionable is a crap shoot, in that you may be suseptible but never develop it unless you expose yourself to certain things.

As for breast cancer and the male/female ratio of contracting it, it could just be that female hormones feed cancers big time, so men have more immunity to some of them. On the same note, men tend to sweat more than women, so if there were an anti-perspirant link, they may just flush it out better than women. Hey, who knows.

As for me, the Alzheimers is what scared me off of the aluminum ones, and my own body's reaction to the switch convinced me there was something seriously wrong with using aluminum products no matter what can be proved regarding it, or whether it caused any particular ailment.

I have to stand with XanaX on this one. There is not a chance I'm taking the FDA's word on the safety of these products.