Environmental Metal Exposure Associated with Increased Breast Cancer Risk

Written By : Jacinthlyn Sylvia |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2023-12-23T10:15:26+05:30 | Updated On 17 Feb 2025 3:13 PM IST

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

Science of the Total EnvironmentMetal exposurebreast cancer risk

Source : Science of the Total Environment

Jacinthlyn Sylvia

Neuroscience Masters graduate

Jacinthlyn Sylvia, a Neuroscience Master's graduate from Chennai has worked extensively in deciphering the neurobiology of cognition and motor control in aging. She also has spread-out exposure to Neurosurgery from her Bachelor’s. She is currently involved in active Neuro-Oncology research. She is an upcoming neuroscientist with a fiery passion for writing. Her news cover at Medical Dialogues feature recent discoveries and updates from the healthcare and biomedical research fields. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751