Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and breast cancer

Several organochlorines identified as "hormone disruptors" have been proposed as possible risk factors for breast cancer. DDT is a chemical (organochlorine) with insecticidal properties. It was used during the Second World War by the military to control malaria-carrying insects, and subsequently in areas where malaria is found. These effective sprays of DDT are likely to have side effects on health. Many previous studies have evaluated whether DDT is associated with the risk of breast cancer. This review presents eleven studies, two of which support the hypothesis that DDT can predict breast cancer in women. The evaluation of these studies showed that the available data are not sufficient to establish a causal relationship between DDT exposure and breast cancer. In order to confirm that DDT is a predictor of breast cancer, it is essential to conduct further experimental studies, taking into account several factors including the use of similar epidemiological methodologies to ensure comparability of results between studies.

Author(s):

Oubannin Samira1*, Nadia El Kadmiri2

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