Breast tissues leading to cancer.....

Beware of using lipsticks! You might end
up getting breast cancer, warn
scientists in the US who say chemicals
in lipsticks and nail varnish might
interfere with the healthy development
of breast tissues leading to cancer.

Before reaching the conclusion,
scientists fed lactating rats with the
chemical butyl benzyl phthalate or BBP
found in lipstick and nail varnish,
which was then absorbed by their
offspring via breast milk.

The chemical altered the genetic make-up
of cells in the young female rats’
mammary glands, the organs that produce
milk, reported the online edition of
Daily Mail.

Although the effects wore off once BBP
was removed from the diet, the subtle
changes could have an effect later in
life, the scientists say.

The manmade substance is a part of the
phthalate family of chemicals widely
used to soften plastics and are found in
food packaging, toys, carpets and
solvents. Past studies have linked them
with birth defects, kidney problems and
infertility.

“We are the first to report that
neonatal/pre-pubertal exposure to BBP
induced modifications in the gene
expression of the mammary tissue,” said
team leader Jose Russo at the Fox Chase
Cancer Centre in Philadelphia.

“BBP is in the environment, so a
constant exposure via inhalation and
digestive tract can reach many different
organs, including the breast, the
researchers reported in the online
journal BMC Genomics.

“This is an indication that the same
could happen in humans. Even if an
individual is exposed to it in the
beginning of life, BBP can cause
alterations later in life.”

“In this direction, we are evaluating if
the exposure of this compound in young
girls is associated with early puberty
and breast development,” Russo said.

The researchers, however, said more
studies were needed to determine if the
chemical did actually increase the risk
of breast cancer in rats.