A newly published study, from China, is the first to report a link between brain cancer and exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), which is widely used in consumer products.
The study examined the relationship between BPA exposure and the common type of brain tumor called meningioma.
Researchers found a positive association between BPA concentrations in urine and a meningioma diagnosis. Those with the highest urine BPA levels were about 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with meningioma compared to those with lower concentrations.
Previous studies have shown that gender, Body Mass Index (BMI) and hormone replacement therapy all can influence the risk of meningioma. This new study showed that among all weight levels there was still a connection between high BPA urine levels and the disease.
Enivronmental Health news reports that 90% of diagnosed meningioma cases are benign, but the slow-growing tumors can still cause illness and death, as they push against the brain and spinal cord.
BPA shows up in many consumer products. The biggest push for awareness of BPA’s has been in regards to water bottles and food cans. The chemical, which behaves like estrogen, also shows up in plastics, dental sealants, and water pipes.
BPAs have also been found in paper cash register receipts.
CBS reported that “extraordinarily high levels of BPA were found on two-fifths of the paper receipts tested recently by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. “
CBS has also reported in the past that other studies have linked BPA to anxiety, hyperactivity, and individuals with heart disease.
Environmental Health News reports that “exposure in people is widespread and occurs mainly through eating or drinking contaminated food and beverages.”
On Tuesday, the Endocrine Society released a statement that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other regulators are not using the best available science in their assessment of bisphenol-A’s (BPA) safety.
