Read the full article from Medical News Today
See the full research study in Nutrients
“Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in males and the fourth most common type overall, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. A reported 1.3 million new cases of prostate cancer occurred worldwide in 2018.
Previous research found that dietary fat in the typical Western diet can help prostate cancer tumors spread. Now, a new study from researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago has found that a high fat diet and increased exposure to PFAS can speed up the development of prostate tumors.
The findings appear in the journal Nutrients.
What Are PFAS?
PFAS are a wide group of human-made chemicals specially designed to resist grease, oil, water, and heat. Manufacturers usually use a combination of these chemicals as a stain-repellant coating on food packaging and cooking equipment. PFAS can sometimes be present in:
- nonstick coatings on pots and pans
- fast food wrappers and containers
- stain- and water-resistant carpeting and other fabrics
- firefighting foam and heat-resistant protective gear
- paints and sealants
PFAS — nicknamed forever chemicalsTrusted Source because they do not decompose — can potentially contaminate the surrounding soil and water when people discard them. This contamination can put people at risk of PFAS exposure. A study last year found that PFAS may contaminate the drinking water of 200 million people in the United States.
People can get exposure to PFAS by:
- drinking contaminated water
- eating fish that were living in contaminated water
- eating food covered in paper and other packaging containing PFAS
- coming into contact with contaminated soil or dust
PFAS occupational hazards exist for those involved in the making of PFAS-containing products, as well as firefighters exposed to PFAS in their protective gear and firefighting foam.”…