It’s Complementary

In the 200-page landmark report published earlier this year, the President’s Cancer Panel calls on America to rethink the way we confront cancer, calling for a much more rigorous regulation of the chemicals that have become so prevalent in our every day lives.

“Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States have been tested for safety,” the report says, adding “many known or suspected carcinogens are completely unregulated.”

The panel says that federal chemical laws are weak, funding for research and enforcement in inadequate and regulatory responsibilities are split among too many agencies, concluding that the country needs to overhaul existing chemical laws, a position that has been supported by public health groups, environmental advocates, the Obama administration and even the chemical industry.

The panel advised President Obama ”to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

The report and bladder cancer

Two pages in the report reference bladder cancer in particular, citing effects of chemical by-products that are formed when water disinfection takes place.

Although disinfection of public water supplies has dramatically reduced the incidence of waterborne illnesses and related mortality in the US, hundreds of disinfection by-products (DBP) have been identified, only a small percentage of which have been tested for carcinogenicity. These by-products, formed when disinfectants such as chlorine react with organic matter, may increase cancer risk through long-term exposure, the report notes.

Admittedly, it says, relatively little research has been done on DBPs and cancer; however, the strongest data shows increased bladder cancer risk with long-term (up to 40 years) exposure to DBPs, particularly among men.  In addition, several metabolic pathways and key genes have been identified that may increase bladder cancer risk among individuals with common variants in these genetic factors.

“Wherever you chlorinate water, you have chlorination by-products…there is strong evidence that disinfection by-products are carcinogenic for bladder cancer,” explained Kenneth Cantor of the National Cancer Institute.

Panel recommendations to reduce risk

There are several precautions recommended to reduce risk of all cancers, including bladder cancer:

• Filter home tap or well water to decrease exposure to numerous known or suspected carcinogens and endocrine-disturbing chemicals.  Unless the home water source is known to be contaminated, it is preferable to use filtered tap water instead of commercially bottled water.
• Store and carry water in stainless steel, glass or BPA-and phthalate-free containers to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting and other chemicals that may leach into water from plastics.
• Microwave food and beverages in ceramic or glass instead of plastic containers to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals that may leach into food when containers are heated.
• When possible, choose food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers and wash conventionally grown produce to remove residues.
• Eat free-range meat raised without antibiotics, growth hormones and toxic run-off from feed.
• Avoid or minimize consumption of processed, charred and well-done meats to reduce exposure to carcinogenic heterocyclic amines and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
• Don’t smoke and reduce or eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke in your home, auto and public places.

View the complete report (PDF).