Household Chemical Sends Cancer Risk SOARING 56%
The GOOD news about thyroid cancer is that the 5-year survival rate is 98 percent.
The BAD news is that annual cases are expected to double in the next 30 years.
This alarming trend has had scientists scrambling to figure out WHY.
And what they discovered is downright disturbing. And it’s something that affects ALL of us.
A substance found in EVERY home across America can increase the risk of thyroid cancer by 56 percent.
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals found in everything from cookware and water-repellent clothing to products that resist grease, water, and oil.
There are two BIG problems with PFAS.
The first is that they don’t break down easily. This means they stick around for a long time in air, soil, and water.
That’s how they earned the nickname “forever chemicals.”
The second is that PFAS can dramatically increase your risk of thyroid cancer.
In a recent study, researchers compared 88 people with thyroid cancer to 88 healthy folks. They also looked at their exposure to eight different PFAS.
They found exposure to a forever chemical called n-PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) increased the risk of thyroid cancer by 56 percent.
This study didn’t look into why this connection was there, but other studies give us valuable clues.
PFAS are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that impact the body’s ability to produce hormones.
They’ve also specifically been shown to impact thyroid hormone production.
We now know that PFAS accumulate in the thyroid gland, where they can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage—all of which are known cancer-promoters.
At this point, it’s practically impossible to eliminate your exposure to these forever chemicals. (You could also call them “everywhere” chemicals.)
But you CAN reduce your exposure by…
- not using non-stick cookware
- avoiding grease-resistant food packaging, and
- by not wearing clothing with stain-resistant treatments.
And if you live in an area with water contaminated with PFAS, you can reduce your exposure by using water filters that use activated carbon or reverse osmosis.
P.S. The SHOCKING place you’ll find cancer-linked PFAS in your bathroom!
SOURCE:
“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and thyroid cancer risk,” eBioMedicine, Articles, Volume 97, 104831, November 2023
