New research from the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami has found a troubling link between living near hazardous waste sites and an increased risk of aggressive breast cancer in women.
These sites, called Superfund sites, are polluted areas identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as needing cleanup because they pose risks to human health and the environment.
The research team, led by Dr. Erin Kobetz and other scientists, looked at more than 21,000 breast cancer cases in Florida from 2015 to 2019.
They found that women who lived in neighborhoods with a Superfund site had a 30% higher chance of being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer—a form of the disease that has spread to other parts of the body and is harder to treat.
The team also studied a specific type of breast cancer called triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This type is more aggressive, harder to treat, and more likely to return after treatment.
The research showed that women living near Superfund sites were more likely to develop TNBC. In addition, exposure to fine air pollution particles, known as PM2.5, was linked to a higher risk of this aggressive cancer.
This study is important because it highlights the role of environmental pollution in cancer development—something that has not been well understood before, especially in the case of breast cancer.
Dr. Kobetz explained that community members were the ones who first raised concerns about the potential health risks of living near these toxic sites. Their input led to a deeper investigation, supported by data collected through Sylvester’s SCAN360 tool.
Another part of the research looked at how a person’s environment might leave traces in the body. Dr. Aristeidis Telonis and his team studied tumor samples from 80 women in the Miami area. They examined DNA, RNA, and other biological markers to see how the environment and living conditions might affect cancer on a molecular level.
They found that women living in poorer neighborhoods—areas with fewer health resources—had more aggressive breast cancer markers in their tumors. This means that where a person lives might affect not just the chance of getting cancer, but also how severe the cancer becomes.
These studies are among the first to combine detailed environmental data with biological samples to explore how pollution and social conditions may influence cancer. They point to the importance of looking beyond genetics and considering where people live and what they are exposed to in their daily lives.
Dr. Telonis hopes that this research will help doctors one day tailor treatments based not only on the tumor but also on the patient’s living conditions. Dr. Kobetz emphasized that community voices played a key role in directing this research and will continue to shape future studies.
The findings support the idea that environmental justice and health are closely connected. More research is needed, but the early results show that where you live could significantly affect your risk for serious diseases like breast cancer.
If you care about breast cancer, please read studies about how eating patterns help ward off breast cancer, and soy and plant compounds may prevent breast cancer recurrence.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how your grocery list can help guard against caner, and a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
The study is published in Breast Cancer: Targets and Therapy.
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