Story filed: 19:06 Wednesday 21st January 2004
A new claim that using deodorants might be linked to breast cancer has been made by a US scientist.
The study, based on a survey of more than 400 women, showed a possible connection between breast cancer and deodorant use combined with frequent underarm shaving.
But New Scientist magazine, which reported the findings, warned they were "far from conclusive". Last week research by Dr Phillipa Darbre, from Reading University, suggesting a link between deodorant chemicals and breast cancer hit the headlines.
Her paper, published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, reported that preservatives in deodorants could be found in breast tumours. However the study did not demonstrate a causal connection between the chemicals and breast cancer.
The new US study, conducted by Chicago doctor Kris McGrath, from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, looked at the way 437 breast cancer patients applied deodorants. Dr McGrath found that the more zealous the underarm regime, the younger the women were when diagnosed.
Those who shaved under their arms at least three times a week, and applied a deodorant at least twice a week, were almost 15 years younger when diagnosed than women who did neither. Neither shaving nor applying a deodorant alone was linked with a younger age of diagnosis.
Dr McGrath, whose findings were published last month in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, suspects that aluminium compounds found in many deodorant products might be to blame.
But fellow expert Dr Dana Mirick, whose own study looking at incidence rates found no link between deodorants and shaving and breast cancer in 2002, criticised the findings. The most serious flaw was the absence of a comparison group without breast cancer, she said.
"That means there could be a simple explanation for the findings: younger women use antiperspirant and shave more often than older women," said New Scientist.
Dr Michelle Barclay, of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "The evidence in this study is inadequate to conclude that antiperspirant, or deodorant use and shaving are linked to breast cancer. Women should not be worried about using deodorant."
A Link to the full article is here.
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