Life Habits, Frequency of Application and Long-Term Exposure to Cosmetic Products Containing Parabens Can Cause Higher Breast Cancer Risk among Women

Background: Modern lifestyle involves everyday use of cosmetic products containing various sources of Endocrine Disruptors (EDs), parabens being the most common ones. Growing cancer burden globally, namely the increased breast cancer incidence, suggests a lifestyle cause. Could the continuous and prolonged exposure to parabens be accountable for the higher breast cancer risk on a global scale?

Methods: A Questionnaire was filled out on the subjects' anamnestic data, anthropometric measurements, sociodemographic characteristics, the presence of risk factors for the development of breast cancer, and the beginning and frequency of use of deodorants, body lotions and antiperspirants. Total of seventy-two (n = 72) patients were enrolled in the study. All obtained data was compared with risk factors for the development of breast cancer.

Results: Women with breast cancer have longer been exposed to cosmetic products usage (an average of 36 years in total) in comparison to healthy women (an average of 24 years in total). Healthy women tend to start using cosmetic products earlier, at the average age of 16, and tend to use them more often as part of their everyday routine. In contrast, women with breast cancer start later on, at the average age of 19.

Conclusion: Our study supports the fact that the most important risk factor for breast cancer is age, but also suggests that long term exposure to parabens could play a crucial role in breast cancer manifestation, even more so at an earlier age. Shift to healthier alternatives to parabens in cosmetic products would contribute to both disease prevention as well as greener environment.