Shocking news item for you today. It comes from a review of studies so may not be exact, but the message is clear: avoid pollution as much as you can. For someone who was just considering moving closer to town to be a bit less isolated, it’s given me pause!
Daily Mail 27.2.27 “NEW AIR POLLUTION LINK TO BREAST & PROSTATE CANCER” By Rachel Ellis.
Summary:
The link between air pollution & cancer will be laid bare this week in new research. Air pollution’s link to lung conditions is well known & it is also directly implicated in cancer, including breast & prostate, found the review of 27 studies to be published in “Anticancer Research” on 30 Feb. 24.
Long-term exposure to air pollution increases the chance of breast cancer by 45%, & prostate cancer by 20%-28%. It raises the risk of dying from breast cancer by 80% & any type of cancer by 22%, says Prof Kefah Mokbel, one of UKs leading breast surgeons who conducted the analysis. The 27 studies were from a database of 100s of peer-reviewed publications. Many of the studies included millions of patients, followed-up over decades. A particular concern is particulate matter PM2.5s – tiny pollution particles from vehicle exhaust fumes etc. The professor said PM2.5s can cause DNA damage that can lead to cancer. Prof Mokbel recommends avoiding areas of high pollution & eating a Mediterranean diet.