How Does Cancer Research Uk Evaluate Evidence
We regularly review new research on the causes of cancer to make sure our information is up to date and based on the best quality evidence. We develop our information by looking at lots of research carried out over many years. So, although new research comes out all the time, it is unlikely that one new study would change our position on a topic.
Some studies are better than others at telling us about how different factors affect cancer risk. These are some of the things we consider:
- Did the study look at cells, animals or people?
Studies in animals and cells can help scientists understand how cancer works, but they cant always tell us how its relevant to humans. So we focus on studies in people.
- How big is the study and how long did it go on for?
Studies on small numbers of people arent as reliable, because results are more likely to happen by chance. And studies that only follow people for a short amount of time can miss long-term effects. So we mainly look at studies that follow thousands of people over many years.
- Did the study account for other factors that could affect someones cancer risk?
There are lots of factors that can affect someones risk of cancer. Studies should take known risk factors into account. For example, if a study is looking at air pollution and lung cancer, it should also look at whether participants smoked.
- Where is the study published and who funded it?
How to find accurate information on cancer
Antiperspirants: Should You Worry
In short: No. There is no real scientific evidence that aluminum or any of the other ingredients in these products pose any threat to human health.
“These products can be used with high confidence of their safety. They’ve been used for many years, and there’s no evidence that suggests a problem,” says John Bailey, PhD, chief scientist with the Personal Care Products Council, the trade association that represents the cosmetic and personal care products industry.
Antiperspirants have no proven impact on the risk of diseases like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s. “Breast cancer and Alzheimer’s are two complicated diseases which are difficult to associate with one singular cause, such as antiperspirant/deodorant use,” Paul Pestano, MS, research analyst with the Environmental Working Group, said in an e-mail interview.
So why do the rumors about antiperspirant use and disease persist?
“The Internet, by its very nature, is a great medium for recycling old issues over and over again,” Bailey says. “And I think there is a tendency for some people to use these scare tactics to their own advantage.”
“Part of the reason that the discussion about aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease continues to be a topic is Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease, and people want to know why their relative has this disease, and they want an easy answer,” Snyder says.
I Quit For Fear Of Breast Cancer
Pregnancy, family history of breast cancer and the quest for naturalness are all motivations that have led many readers of
20 Minutes
to abandon deodorants containing aluminum salts . Like Beatrice, who quit two months ago for fear of breast cancer. I found a very good one in the supermarket . Marion, she opted two years ago for a cream deodorant from a Dutch brand, highlighted by many influencers on Instagram. You just need to put it on every three days, it’s effective and I know what’s in it. And if I run out before receiving my order, I use the Yuka and QuelCosmetic apps to get another one for troubleshooting .
It was after “breast cancer treated in 2020, but with a high rate of possible recurrence”, that Hélène, 44, asked herself questions. When I read that AS increases the risk, I looked at the makeup of my deodorant and found that it contained it. I threw it away! I have also seen that endocrine disruptors can increase the risk of hormone-dependent cancer like mine. So, for my health and that of my family, I downloaded the INCI application and scanned all the products in my bathroom. And I almost threw it all away! “
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Scar Tissue In Lung After Radiation Therapy For Breast Cancer
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Is There A Link Between Cancer And Using Deodorant
You may have heard that using deodorant can increase the chances of developing cancer. Like most Americans, you probably use a daily regimen of deodorant or some form of antiperspirant.
Deodorants mask the odor of underarm perspiration by stopping the formation of bacteria. Antiperspirants, however, decrease perspiration from the sweat glands of the underarm. Sometimes, you may find a combination of both deodorant and antiperspirant in products that stick or roll-on to the underarm in order to remove body odor.
Such products can contain compounds, parabens, and chemicals that are estrogen-like, causing the concern of breast cancer development that can be stimulated by estrogen. This reasoning stems from the fact that more than 50 percent of breast cancers occur near the underarm in the upper outer quadrants of the breast.
Antiperspirants also can contain aluminum chloride and chlorohydrate, which can decrease the gene function BCRA-1 and the repair genes of the breast, causing further worry of the occurrence of cancer.
Others believe that shaving the underarm can cause cancer by allowing deodorant or antiperspirant chemicals to enter the body through minor razor cuts.
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Should I Be Concerned About Aluminum In Antiperspirants
Aluminum-based compounds are the active ingredients in antiperspirants. They block the sweat glands to keep sweat from getting to the skin’s surface. Some research has suggested that these aluminum compounds may be absorbed by the skin and cause changes in estrogen receptors of breast cells. Because estrogen can promote the growth of both cancer and non-cancer breast cells, some scientists have suggested that using the aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may be a risk factor for the development of breast cancer.
But it isnt clear that much aluminum is absorbed through the skin. One study that looked at the absorption of aluminum from antiperspirants containing aluminum chlorohydrate applied to the underarms found that only a tiny fraction was absorbed. The actual amount of aluminum absorbed would be much less than what would be expected to be absorbed from the foods a person eats during the same time.
It also doesnt seem that breast cancer tissue contains more aluminum than normal breast tissue. A study that looked at women with breast cancer found no real difference in the concentration of aluminum between the cancer and the surrounding normal tissue.
At this point, no clear link has been made between antiperspirants containing aluminum and breast cancer.
Not Evidence Of A Human Link
The authors state that their results are compelling evidence that aluminum is a human carcinogen. Dr. Kotryna Temcinaite, senior research communications manager at Breast Cancer Now, disagrees. That cells exposed to aluminum salts in laboratory experiments led to genomic instability is not evidence that aluminum salts are carcinogenic, she said.
However, she added, These papers provide evidence of the need for further evaluation to see if aluminum compounds can be classified as carcinogens.
Dr. Grumley also questioned whether these studies provide evidence of a link: As a physician and clinician, I take it with a grain of salt. You cannot extrapolate we dont inject into the system, and we are not mice.
I would never use these studies to tell women they cant use deodorants.
Dr. Janie Grumley
Dr. Temcinaite added, Our bodies also have several defense mechanisms that detect and get rid of cells that arent quite right, so genomic instability alone may not always be enough to result in cancer.
an analysis of 19 studies concluded that there was no scientific evidence to support the hypothesis of a possible link between antiperspirants and breast cancer.
She added, There are currently no strong epidemiological studies that link breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, and ultimately carcinogenicity of aluminum has not yet been proven.
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Financial Help For Cancer
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer or another end stage illness and the high costs have left you in need of cash, the compassionate professionals at Fifth Season Financial can help. The company offers the Funds for Living Program that provides a quick and easy way to use the death benefit of your life insurance policy to give you the money you want and need.
Natural Deodorants That Actually Work
Switching to a natural beauty routine is great in theory. Who doesnt want to rely on plant-based products to look and feel their best? But when it comes to your pits, au natural doesnt quite carry the same cachet. In fact, its quite the opposite and chances are, youll need to loosen your expectations a bit.
Jessica Alba, actress and founder of Honest Beauty Company even admitted to the perils of natural deodorants in her book, The Honest Life.
I wont lie. If I have to walk a red carpet or give a big presentation, Im reaching for that trustworthy but toxin-filled Big Name Super-Strong Antiperspirant. You cant risk pit stains in those high-pressure situations, and the nontoxic deodorant formulas just arent there yet.
Here are the natural deodorants that made our cut based on a specific type/need.
Best baking soda-free formula:
Those with a baking soda intolerance will appreciate this sensitive-friendly formula that boasts plant and mineral powders alongside citrusy essential oils from grapefruit, sweet orange and lemon. The bonus? Its packaging is made from biodegradable paper.
Best scent:
Leaves of Trees Lavender and Tangerine Deodorant
Best spray:
Saje Natural Wellness Floral Crystal Fresh Deodorant
Best innovation:
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Why Does My Doctor Tell Me Not To Use Antiperspirant Or Deodorant On The Day Of My Mammogram
You are asked to not use antiperspirant or deodorant on the day you get a mammogram because many of these products contain aluminum. This metal can show up on a mammogram as tiny specks. These specks can look like microcalcifications, which are one of the things doctors look for as a possible sign of cancer. Not using these products helps prevent any confusion when the mammogram films are reviewed.
Your Antiperspirant Deodorant May Be Causing Breast Cancer Two New Studies Show
Getty via Canva Pascale Davies
The decades-old debate over whether antiperspirant deodorants can lead to breast cancer has been reignited in the scientific community with the publication of two new studies.
The focus has been on the role of aluminium, often used in antiperspirant deodorant to reduce sweat, which can act like oestrogen on certain breast receptors.
While some studies in the past have said there is no link between aluminium used in deodorants and breast cancer, two new publications have confirmed the toxic effects of aluminium salts present in deodorants and their carcinogenic potential on breast cells.
The studies were carried out by a group of researchers from the Fondation des Grangettes and the Centre d’Onco-Hématologie in collaboration with the University of Oxford and led by the Swiss scientists André-Pascal Sappino and Stefano Mandriota.
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Should I Be Concerned About Parabens
Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives and as food additives. They can be found in many types of make-up and skin care products . Parabens can be absorbed through the skin.
Intake of parabens is a possible concern because studies have shown that parabens have weak estrogen-like properties. Estrogen is a female hormone known to cause breast cells to grow and divide. And some conditions that increase the body’s exposure to estrogen have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
In 2004, a small study found traces of parabens in some samples of breast cancer tumors. But there are some important points about the study findings:
- The researchers looked only for the presence of parabens in breast cancer samples. The study did not show that parabens caused or contributed to breast cancer development in these cases it only showed that they were there. What this meant is not yet clear.
- Although parabens have weak estrogen-like properties, the estrogens that are made in the body are hundreds to many thousands of times stronger. So, natural estrogens are much more likely to play a role in breast cancer development.
- Parabens are widely used as preservatives in shampoo, lotions, other cosmetics, and even foods. This study did not contain any information to help find the source of the parabens found in the breast tissue it’s not clear if they might have come from antiperspirants or from some other source.
Could There Be A Link To Inherited Susceptibility To Breast Cancer
Development of breast cancer through the inheritance of genetic susceptibility is associated with loss of function of tumour suppressor genes including the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which results in impaired DNA repair processes . The increasing penetrance of these genes in Iceland, however, has suggested that underlying mechanisms of susceptibility can also be influenced by environmental factors as well as genetic factors . Although it is possible that cancers result in these susceptible people from an inability to repair random replication errors, it is also possible that these people are more susceptible to damage from genotoxic pollutant chemicals, including those absorbed from cosmetic products applied around the breast area, than the remainder of the population who have intact DNA repair systems .
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What You Actually Need To Know About Deodorant And Breast Cancer
Every time you turn around, it seems something else is blamed for causing cancerincluding a link between deodorant and breast cancer. Breast cancer is among the scariest simply because its the most commonand it kills more than 40,000 women a year.
There is understandably a large interest in trying to identify modifiable risk factors or environmental exposures that could be linked to breast cancer risk, says Arpana Naik, M.D., a breast surgeon at the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute. If a specific exposure could be identified, then in theory, avoiding it or modifying one’s behavior could reduce one’s chance of breast cancer.
In other words, it would be a major relief if we could just find something to blame and then stay really far away from that something forever. One supposed culprit that keeps popping up online is the use of deodorants and antiperspirants as a cause of breast cancer. But is there really anything to that worry? Here’s what scientists do and don’t know about deodorant and breast cancer.
But that doesnt mean its always been a silly concern to dismiss. There may have been some kind of legitimate concern at one time with deodorant, says Rulla Tamimi, Sc.D., an associate professor of medicine and of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. But the weight of evidence is minimal, and really none of it in humans is very thorough.
can
According to the NCI, these known risk factors are:
More on this in a bit.
Antiperspirants And Alzheimer’s Disease
Back in the 1960s, a few studies found high levels of aluminum in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The research suddenly called into question the safety of everyday household items such as aluminum cans, antacids, and antiperspirants.
But the findings of these early studies werenât replicated in later research, and experts have essentially ruled out aluminum as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s.
“There was a lot of research that looked at the link between Alzheimer’s and aluminum, and there hasn’t been any definitive evidence to suggest there is a link,” says Heather M. Snyder, PhD, senior associate director of medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer’s Association.
According to the experts interviewed for this story, the aluminum in antiperspirants doesn’t even typically make its way into the body.
“The aluminum salts do not work as antiperspirants by being absorbed in the body. They work by forming a chemical reaction with the water in the sweat to form a physical plug… which is deposited in the sweat duct, producing a blockage in the areas that it’s applied,” says David Pariser, MD, professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and past president of the American Academy of Dermatology. “Even nicks from shaving, the amount is so negligible that it doesn’t make a whole lot of scientific sense.”
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I Switched To Homemade Deodorant
To be sure of the harmlessness of their deodorant, some have opted for homemade.
Emma has thus abandoned commercial antiperspirants for two years.
But I found conventional deodorants ineffective.
I switched to edible baking soda, applied with slightly wet fingers after the shower, and the result is stunning: no smell of perspiration!
However, it happens that after a while my armpits are red, so I take a weekend break .
Sandra, she stopped the antiperspirants “in 2013, after the detection of breast cancer in my mother”. Like Emma, she cannot find an effective alternative in the supermarket. A friend advised me to apply a mixture of organic coconut oil and baking soda. Magical ! You just don’t have to put it on after waxing to avoid itching and irritation .
“I have nothing against homemade recipes, but certain ingredients, especially if they are poorly dosed, can be irritating for the axillary area, which is particularly thin and prone to friction and irritation”, underlines Dr. Rousseaux.
To get started, it is better to look for simple recipes and test the mixture on a less sensitive area before applying it to the armpits.
For this everyday product, I would rather recommend an organic deodorant that is well rated on the apps that assess cosmetics, especially as more and more brands are taking steps to develop healthy formulas .