Where a person lives can have a major impact on their health. Clean air, safe drinking water, and a healthy environment all play important roles in preventing disease.
Scientists have long known that pollution can increase the risk of illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, and some cancers. Now, new research suggests that living near heavily polluted hazardous waste sites may also increase the risk of developing more aggressive forms of breast cancer.
The study was carried out by researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami and was published in the journal Breast Cancer: Targets and Therapy. The findings add to growing evidence that environmental pollution may influence not only whether cancer develops but also how severe it becomes.
The researchers focused on areas known as Superfund sites. These are places in the United States that have been heavily contaminated by dangerous chemicals or industrial waste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identifies these locations because they may threaten human health and the environment.
Many of these sites are former factories, landfills, mining areas, or industrial facilities where toxic substances remain in the soil, water, or air. Cleaning up these sites can take many years.
The research team, led by Dr. Erin Kobetz, analyzed more than 21,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Florida between 2015 and 2019. They compared where women lived with the locations of nearby Superfund sites and other environmental pollution data.
The results were concerning. Women living in neighborhoods with a Superfund site were about 30% more likely to be diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer is an advanced stage of the disease in which cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body, making it much harder to treat successfully.
The researchers also examined triple-negative breast cancer, often called TNBC. This form of breast cancer does not respond to several common hormone-based treatments, making treatment more difficult.
It also tends to grow and spread more quickly than many other types of breast cancer. The study found that women living near Superfund sites had a higher likelihood of developing this aggressive cancer.
Air pollution also appeared to play a role. Women exposed to higher levels of tiny air pollution particles known as PM2.5 had an increased risk of triple-negative breast cancer.
These microscopic particles are produced by vehicle exhaust, factories, power plants, and wildfires. Because they are so small, they can travel deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
The project began after local community members expressed concerns about possible health problems linked to nearby polluted sites. Their concerns encouraged researchers to investigate the issue using environmental and health information collected through Sylvester’s SCAN360 research platform.
In another part of the study, Dr. Aristeidis Telonis and colleagues examined tumor samples from 80 women living in the Miami area. They studied DNA, RNA, and other biological markers to understand how environmental conditions might influence cancer at the molecular level.
They found that women living in disadvantaged neighborhoods with fewer healthcare resources often had tumors showing more aggressive biological features. This suggests that social and environmental conditions may affect both the risk of developing breast cancer and how the disease behaves after it begins.
The researchers believe these studies are among the first to combine detailed environmental information with biological data from patients to better understand how pollution and neighborhood conditions may affect cancer.
The findings highlight that genetics is only one part of the story. Environmental exposures and social conditions may also play important roles in determining cancer risk and outcomes.
The scientists emphasize that more research is needed before firm conclusions can be made. However, the results strengthen the growing evidence that reducing environmental pollution and improving living conditions could become important parts of cancer prevention.
They also suggest that future cancer care may one day consider not only the biology of a patient’s tumor but also the environment in which they live.
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.
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