Silent Epidemics: Breast Cancer, Endometriosis and Chemical Sensitivity

Evidence is growing that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) namely dioxins, PCBs, DDT, 24-D, DES, delivered to us via fuel emissions, incineration, household products, pesticides, cosmetics, glues, chemical sunscreens, plastic food containers and so on, are linked to endometriosis, breast and uterine cancers, heart disease, migraine, severe PMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibrocystic breast disease, fibroids and infertility.
At a recent Wellington New Zealand Green Party-hosted forum Greenpeace International scientist Pat Costner, environmental health researcher Meriel Watts, and Wellington gynaecologist Hanifa Koya, warned that many of the chemicals used widely in New Zealand and elsewhere have been identified as mammary carcinogens. Evidence from animal and human studies show that dioxin and other compounds are risk factors for breast cancer and endometriosis because of their ability to disrupt immune and endocrine system function, while pesticides and solvents are the key causes of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS).
Breast cancer rates have doubled in the last forty years and endometriosis incidence is increasing rapidly. However there remains an official silence in New Zealand around possible environmental causes of breast cancer and endometriosis, and MCS is still not recognised as a condition seriously affecting the health of a significant number of women. Overseas studies have shown that some 70-80 percent of people who suffer from MCS are women.
The forum called for immediate government action on the environmental causes of these diseases, and legislation that gives individuals the right to know the levels of endocrine disrupting chemicals they are exposed to and the impact they are having. Meanwhile it is essential to limit exposure as much as possible by eating organic food and avoiding all known sources of these chemicals.