Monitoring pollutants in breastmilk may help regulators in getting
levels down.
Judy Ritchie

http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/press/060303.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Ruth Sears 919-653-2598
June 3, 2003

Mother's Exposure to Pollutants May Contribute to Testicular Cancer
Years Later
Study Published Today in Environmental Health Perspectives Suggests
Exposure and Cancer May Be Related

[RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC] Mothers of men with testicular cancer show
significantly greater concentrations of certain persistent organic
pollutants in their blood than mothers of men who don't have the cancer,
according to the findings of a study published today in the
peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).
In a study of more than 100 Swedish men recruited for the study from
1997 to 2000, researchers analyzed blood samples for concentrations of
38 organochlorines. They studied 61 men with testicular cancer and 58
similarly aged men without cancer as controls. To test the potential
connection between fetal exposure to pollutants and incidence of
testicular cancer, the researchers also performed similar analysis on
the men's mothers. The study authors theorized that current levels of
these substances in the mothers would correspond with their levels
during pregnancy.
There was little difference in organochlorine blood levels between the
case men and the control men, with the exception of one pollutant,
cis-nonachlordane, which was significantly increased in the cases. The
case mothers, however, showed significantly increased concentrations of
total organochlorines relative to the control mothers. The editors of
EHP classified it as an important study, but caution against drawing
conclusions without further review of the issue.
"The theory that testicular cancer is initiated during the fetal period
is an important one, and this study certainly suggests an association
between exposure and cancer that is worthy of further study," says Dr.
Jim Burkhart, science editor for EHP. "Because of the long period
between the potential cause and the incidence of cancer, the researchers
faced immediate challenges. But with the long half-life of many of these
pollutants, current levels of exposure may correlate with exposure
levels during child-bearing years. What we know for sure is that this is
worth continuing to examine."
The researchers analyzed the data for other factors, including body mass
index, length of breastfeeding, and smoking, but found no significant
changes to the results.
Even if exposure in utero is found to lead to testicular cancer, the
researchers can point to some positive developments: "The concentration
of persistent organic pollutants in mothers' milk reflects the body
burden," the study authors wrote. "Decreasing concentrations of many of
these [pollutants] have been found in Swedish breast milk since the
1980s. The highest concentrations were found in the early 1970s. Because
the median age among the cases was 30 years, most of them were born
during the period with high concentration in the populations."
The study team was lead by Lennart Hardell of the Department of Oncology
at University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden. Other team members included
Bert van Bavel, Gunilla Lindstrom, Michael Carlberg, Ann Charlotte
Dreifaldt, Hans Wijkstrom, Hans Starkhammar, Mikael Eriksson, Arne
Hallquist, and Torgny Kolmert.
EHP is the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More
information is available online at http://www.ehponline.org/.
Editor's note: A full copy of the report is available by fax or e-mail
(PDF format) to media at no charge. Go to www.ehponline.org/press, call
919-653-2585, or e-mail [log in to unmask]

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