Environmental Metal Exposure Associated with Increased Breast Cancer Risk

A recent study by Nicolas Francisco Fernandez-Martinez and team unveiled an important link between metal and metalloid (MM) exposure and the high risk of developing breast cancer. The findings were published in The Science of the Total Environment Journal.

This meticulous case-control analysis involved 292 incident cases and 286 controls. They focused into the plasma concentrations of 16 different MMs. The geometric means for Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) were striking, with Cu at 845.6 ng/ml and Zn at 604.8 ng/ml. Concerning differentials emerged between cases and controls, as breast cancer cases exhibited significantly higher Cu concentrations (p = 0.010) and markedly lower Zn concentrations (p < 0.001).

The research applied mixed-effects logistic regression models and quantile-based g computation models. The results pointed to Copper (Cu) and Manganese (Mn) as the key positive contributors, with Zinc (Zn) and Tungsten (W) emerging as significant negative factors. The joint effect of this metal mixture was staggering, with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.51 (95%CI = 2.32–8.79), suggesting a clear dose-response relationship.

The findings underscore an unfavorable exposure profile, characterized by elevated Copper and diminished Zinc levels. This significantly heightens the risk of developing female breast cancer. Also, this study provides a critical foundation for understanding the combined impact of metals by emphasizing the need for further exploration and confirmation of these compelling results. As environmental factors continue to be verified in detail, this study marks a big forward in unraveling the complex dynamics between metal exposure and breast cancer risk.

Reference:

Fernández-Martínez, N. F., Rodríguez-Barranco, M., Huerta, J. M., Gil, F., Olmedo, P., Molina-Montes, E., Guevara, M., Zamora-Ros, R., Jiménez-Zabala, A., Colorado-Yohar, S. M., Ardanaz, E., Bonet, C., Amiano, P., Chirlaque, M. D., Pérez-Gómez, B., Jiménez-Moleón, J. J., Martín-Jiménez, M., de Santiago, E., & Sánchez, M.-J. (2024). Breast cancer risk for the joint exposure to metals and metalloids in women: Results from the EPIC-Spain cohort. The Science of the Total Environment, 912(168816), 168816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168816