We must concentrate on reducing the risks

AT Challenge Breast Cancer Scotland we always welcome new research into the causes of breast cancer.

This new study is worrying, but it is important to put it into perspective.

The fact is that we do not yet know all the causes of breast cancer.

For example we now know that lifestyle factors such as smoking, weight and alcohol and even when women have their babies all play a role in reducing our chances of getting this disease.

There are lots of steps women can take to reduce their risk. Genetic factors also account for some cases.

We believe more research does need to be carried out on the environmental causes of breast cancer, including whether chemicals in cosmetics might play some role in causing tumours to begin.

It is very interesting that these researchers have noticed that there is something different in the location of tumours in women in the 1950s compared to the 1990s. We would welcome more investigation into what might be behind this change although we are really in the very early stages of this research.

There are chemicals in everyday cosmetics that we just do not know enough about. They are there for good reasons, such as parabens which extend the shelf life of our cosmetics for up to two years. But not enough is known about what effect they might have on the body.

We are not saying to women they should stop shaving or using deodorant. Instead we should focus on what we do already know will do the most to reduce our risks – most significantly stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol and trying to keep to a healthy weight.

However, our charity does believe there is not enough focus at the moment on cancer prevention because researchers are so focused on the holy grail of a cure.

So we would welcome this study and call for more research into the many causes of breast cancer.

challengebreastcancerscotland.org