Key clinical point: Exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions (proximity range 10 km) may increase the risk for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast.
Major finding: The presence of EtO-emitting facilities within 10 km was associated with a significant increase in the risk for DCIS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.13; 95% CI 1.01-1.27); however, there was no increase in the risk for invasive breast cancers (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.97-1.09).
Study details: This study evaluated the data of the US National Institutes of Health -AARP Diet and Health Study cohort including 12,222 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in 173,648 postmenopausal women over a median follow-up of 16 years.
Disclosures: This study was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Cancer Institute. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Jones RR et al. Ethylene oxide emissions and incident breast cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a U.S. cohort. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023 (Jan 12). Doi: 10.1093/jnci/djad004