Breast Cancer Risk High in Women Exposed to Cadmium in Food

A new study reveals that food with cadmium, a toxic metal found in bread, cereals, potatoes and root vegetables from farm fertilizers, increases the risk of breast cancer.

Dietary cadmium, a toxic metal widely dispersed in the environment and found in many farm fertilizers, and hence also in bread, cereals and root vegetables, may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research reveals.

Cadmium occurs at low concentrations naturally, but scientists are concerned because contamination of farmland mainly due to atmospheric deposition and use of fertilizers leads to higher uptake in plants.

Breast Cancer - Prevention and Management with Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle choices may or may not cause breast cancer but healthy lifestyle changes can open up avenues beyond breast cancer. Good habits will allow one to fight breast cancer and to live with dignity.

"Because of a high accumulation in agricultural crops, the main sources of dietary cadmium are bread and other cereals, potatoes, root crops and vegetables," said Agneta Ã…kesson, Ph.D., associate professor at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. "In general, these foods are also considered healthy."

For the current study, Ã…kesson and colleagues observed 55,987 women for more than 12 years. They estimated the dietary cadmium exposure using a food frequency questionnaire. During the follow-up period, researchers observed 2,112 incidences of breast cancer including 1,626 estrogen receptor-positive and 290 estrogen receptor-negative cases.

Cadmium consumption was divided into three groups with the highest levels of exposure compared with the lowest. Overall, a higher exposure to cadmium via diet was linked with a 21 percent increase in breast cancer. Among lean and normal weight women, the increased risk was 27 percent.

Breast Cancer Screening using Mammogram
Breast cancer if detected early can be completely cured. Mammography is used to screen women for breast cancer.

Both estrogen receptor-positive and negative tumors had the same risk increase at roughly 23 percent. Ã…kesson said that women who consumed higher amounts of whole grain and vegetables had a lower risk of breast cancer compared to women exposed to dietary cadmium through other foods.

"It's possible that this healthy diet to some extent can counteract the negative effect of cadmium, but our findings need to be confirmed with further studies," said Ã…kesson. "It is, however, important that the exposure to cadmium from all food is low."

High Levels of Cadmium, Lead in Blood Linked to Pregnancy Delay
A recent study states that higher blood levels of cadmium in females and lead in males, delayed pregnancy in couples.

Source-Newswise

Commonly Used Metal, Cadmium, Ups Risk of Lung Disease, Emphysema
Low-level exposure to cadmium attained through second-hand smoke and other means can put people at an increased risk of developing lung disease, says a new University of Michigan School