Reducing environmental risk of cancer

A 1973 study conducted at Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem found that when cancerous breast tissue is compared with non-cancerous tissue from elsewhere in the same woman's body, the concentration of toxic chemicals such as DDT and PCBs was "much increased in the malignant tissue compared to the normal breast and adjacent adipose fatty tissue." Following public outcry, Israel banned these chemicals from use on feed for dairy cows and cattle. Over the next ten years, the rate of breast cancer deaths in Israel declined sharply, with a 30% drop in mortality for women under 44 years of age and an 8% overall decline. At the same time, all other known cancer risks, alcohol consumption, fat intake, lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet, increased significantly. During this period, worldwide death rates from cancer increased by 4%. Similarly, in 1993 faculty members at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York conducted a blind study of almost 15,000 women to determine whether exposure to organochlorine pesticides was associated with breast cancer. Their report, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found a fourfold relative increase in breast cancer risk for women with high levels of pesticide residues in their bodies.

Eliminate or Reduce Known Carcinogenic Exposures (Environmental & Occupational)

Avoid tobacco in all forms.

Avoid secondhand smoke.

Avoid thirdhand smoke residues in cars, furniture, carpets.

Reduce radon exposure in homes via testing and mitigation.

Reduce benzene exposure (fuels, solvents).

Reduce formaldehyde exposure (pressed wood, insulation).

Reduce exposure to 1,3-butadiene (industrial fumes).

Avoid dry-cleaning chemicals like perchloroethylene.

Reduce exposure to diesel exhaust particulates.

Reduce exposure to asbestos.

Limit exposure to crystalline silica dust.

Avoid PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) from charred foods.

Avoid PFAS-containing products (nonstick coatings, fabric treatments).

Reduce pesticides known to have carcinogenic potential.

Reduce exposure to glyphosate (avoid direct handling, choose untreated foods).

Filter drinking water to reduce heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead).

Reduce exposure to benzidine dyes from certain textiles.

Avoid coal-tar–based cosmetic products.

Reduce exposure to dioxins (industrial pollution, some animal fats).

Avoid chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene.

Reduce exposure to electromagnetic radiation from unnecessary CT scans.

Avoid ionizing radiation except when medically necessary.

Reduce UV exposure; avoid tanning beds.

Use sun-protective clothing to reduce cumulative UV dose.

Choose mineral sunscreens to reduce chemical UV absorber load.