Widely Dispersed Industrial Chemicals And Pesticides Linked To Poorer Cancer Prognosis [08/09/2001; Doctor's Guide] Polychlorinated biphenyl congeners--industrial chemicals present in almost all aspects of the environment--are associated with larger and higher-grade tumours. This finding arises from a case-control study, which evaluated the association between organochlorines (pesticides and other industrial chemicals in the air, soil and water) and breast cancer subtype, defined by oestrogen and progesterone receptor status, tumour size and grade. Researchers in Toronto and Kingston, in Ontario, Canada, and other centres analysed breast adipose tissue from 217 patients and 213 biopsy controls for 14 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and 10 pesticides. Adjusting for age, the geometric means of several organochlorines differed significantly by oestrogen receptor status and tumour grade. The researchers compared the odds ratios for each organochlorine relative to the common control group for breast cancers of differing subtype. Although the odds ratios did not differ significantly by subtype, the odds ratios of polychlorinated biphenyls and p, p-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE) were higher with risk of oestrogen receptor-negative breast cancer than with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.