Read the full article by Julia Musto (The Independent)
“Women who have greater levels of two specific ‘forever chemicals’ found in drinking water in their blood could be at a higher risk of developing aggressive breast cancer, a new federal study warns.
The chemicals are known as perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, or PFOS. While they are no longer made in the U.S., they are two of the thousands of manmade ‘forever chemicals’ that have been used the most in America, the American Cancer Society says.
Though there is no safe level of exposure to PFOA and PFOS – which are classified as carcinogenic and possibly carcinogenic, respectively – Environmental Protection Agency data shows that hundreds of public water systems recorded the chemicals in the past couple of years.
Researchers are still looking into how exposure to these chemicals can contribute to cancer growth, but the study’s authors suggest changes in the immune system or gene activity could play a role.
‘Women deserve clear answers about how chemicals in their environment may affect their health,’ Health Sec. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement alongside the findings.”…