Breast Cancer Risk and Contaminated Drinking Water
Author Information
Author(s): Julia Green Brody, Ann Aschengrau, Wendy McKelvey, Christopher H Swartz, Theresa Kennedy, Ruthann A Rudel
Primary Institution: Silent Spring Institute
Hypothesis
Does exposure to drinking water contaminated by wastewater increase the risk of breast cancer?
Conclusion
The study found no evidence of an association between breast cancer and drinking water contaminated by wastewater.
Supporting Evidence
- Results showed no consistent association between breast cancer and average annual nitrate-N levels.
- 99% of women received water from supplies with nitrate-N levels above background.
- Odds ratios for nitrate-N exposure were not significantly elevated.
Takeaway
The study looked at whether drinking water contaminated with wastewater could cause breast cancer, but it didn't find any proof that it does.
Methodology
A case-control study involving 824 breast cancer cases and 745 controls, assessing exposure to nitrate nitrogen levels in drinking water.
Potential Biases
Potential for non-differential misclassification of exposure due to limited data on individual behaviors.
Limitations
Limited exposure variation and reliance on historical data may affect the results.
Participant Demographics
Predominantly white women aged 60 to 80 with a high school education or higher.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.5 – 5.0 for nitrate-N levels
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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