newscientist.comprint.jspOpen ↗
Preservative chemicals found in samples of breast tumours probably came from underarm deodorants, UK
scientists have claimed.
Their analysis of 20 breast tumours found high concentrations of para-hydroxybenzoic acids
(parabens) in 18 samples. Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in
the development of breast cancers. The preservatives are used in many cosmetics and some foods to
increase their shelf-life.
"From this research it is not possible to say whether parabens actually caused these tumours, but
they may certainly be associated with the overall rise in breast cancer cases," says Philip Harvey,
an editor of the Journal of Applied Toxicology, which published the research.
"Given that breast cancer is the largest killer of women and a very high percentage of young women
use underarm deodorants, I think we should be carrying out properly funded, further investigations
into parabens and where they are found in the body," Harvey told New Scientist.