"DIRTY DOZEN" AVOIDABLE RISK FACTORS FOR BREAST CANCER   

There are a wide range of well-documented avoidable risks of breast cancer, information on  which has not yet received adequate public recognition raising disturbing public policy concerns.   These risks fall into three categories:  medical; industrial; and lifestyle.    

MEDICAL           

1. ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES, WITH EARLY AND PROLONGED USE                

2. ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT THERAPY, WITH HIGH DOSES AND PROLONGED USE               

3. PRE-MENOPAUSAL MAMMOGRAPHY, WITH EARLY AND REPEATED EXPOSURE             

4. NONHORMONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, SUCH AS SOME ANTI-HYPERTENSIVES    

5. SILICONE GEL BREAST IMPLANTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WRAPPED IN  POLYURETHANE FOAM

 INDUSTRIAL          

6. DIETS HIGH IN ANIMAL FAT CONTAMINATED WITH CARCINOGENIC AND  ESTROGENIC CHEMICALS, AND DAIRY PRODUCTS CONTAMINATED WITH  rBGH and IGF-1.               

7. DOMESTIC EXPOSURE TO CARCINOGENIC HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS, OR  POLLUTANTS FROM NEARBY CHEMICAL PLANTS OR HAZARDOUS WASTE  SITES               

8. EXPOSURE TO A WIDE RANGE OF OCCUPATIONAL CARCINOGENS    

LIFESTYLE            

9.    ALCOHOL, WITH EARLY AND EXCESSIVE USE             

10.  TOBACCO, WITH EARLY AND EXCESSIVE USE             

11.  INACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE             

12.  BLACK OR DARK BROWN PERMANENT OR SEMI-PERMANENT HAIR DYES,  WITH EARLY AND PROLONGED USE