Toxic work environment and the risk of breast cancer

Doubling in the work of the "toxic soup" of chemicals and certain occupations, the risk of breast cancer.

High risk, including those in agriculture, plastics, food packaging, metal fabrication, bars and gambling industry.

Women working in these sectors for more than tripled in 10 years, was diagnosed with breast cancer, the probability.

For premenopausal women, a five-fold increase in factory production of automotive plastic parts or tin cans risk.

All these occupations include exposure to potential carcinogens or endocrine disruptors chemicals that interfere with the body's hormone system.

A growing body of evidence shows that even low-level exposure to endocrine disruptors in a long period of time, may result in changes to cause cancer.

Watching the British-led researchers conducted the study in Ontario, Canada, in 1006 women with breast cancer.

They were compared with 1147 randomly selected and matched women from the local community.

Through interviews and surveys to collect information about occupations and reproductive history. The scientists assessed the 10-year career on cancer risk, and consider a 5-year time lag between exposure and diagnosis.

34% of the overall increase in risk of working in the agricultural sector, up to 74%.

Related work in the metal industry increased by 73%. Work in plastic, bars and canned more than double the chance of breast cancer.

The study was published in the "Environment and Health" magazine.

One reason may be exposed to tobacco smoke, the bar staff and the women working in the gambling industry is more likely to develop breast cancer, the researchers said.

Shift work, work at night, and increase the risk of breast cancer, but also may be involved, the researchers said.