Environmental Risk Factors of Breast Cancer in Korea

Abstract

PP-29-103 Background/Aims: Incidence of breast cancer in Korea has rapidly increased since 1990. Furthermore, the increasing rate in Korea is about 20 times in comparison with that of Europe or United States. It is supposed that some associations between unknown environmental contaminants and breast cancer may exist. The purpose of this study is to list up the potential environmental risk factors of breast cancer and to find out some possible relationships. Methods: We reviewed literature on the potential risk factors including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors including contaminants including endocrine disrupting substances and other carcinogens. We collected the data related to breast cancer in South Korea. These data include breast cancer mortality data from Korea National Statistical Office and cancer incidence data from the Korea Central Cancer Registry, and nutritional information, dietary habit, and smoking rate from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We analyzed the correlation of breast cancer mortality and breast cancer incidence with monitored hazard pollutants from National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER). Results: Many studies reported some environmental pollutants might act as a human carcinogen or endocrine disruptor. They suggested dioxins, bisphenol-A, PAHs, and benzene as noticeable risk factors. The consumption of these chemicals in Korea has quickly increased as the result of rapid industrialization after 1960s. It is known that the lag time of breast cancer is between 10 and 40 years (mean, 20 years). Considering them, it is reasonable that environment pollutant could contribute the breast cancer increase. Conclusion: The shortage of this study is that it stays only a descriptive analysis on account of limited information and environmental data. Nevertheless the causal relationship is not clear as yet, potential environmental hazards should be avoided by the precautionary principles.