SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- A report detailing the
incidence of breast cancer in Newton, Massachusetts, suggested -- unfairly and
without scientific documentation -- that environmental factors such as
drycleaning and lawn services could be involved. William E. Fisher, CEO of the
International Fabricare Institute, said: "This is the worst type of a so-
called study I have seen, because it states, very simply, that because
affluent women use more drycleaning, it therefore follows that drycleaning
causes breast cancer. They are also likely to read more newspapers, and get
newsprint on their hands. Are we going to suggest that reading newspapers
causes breast cancer? No credible scientific organization would ever accept
either conclusion. And in fact, the chief of environmental epidemiology at the
National Cancer Institute said that '... Newton women should not worry about
the possible role of environmental chemicals.'"
The study of 1,350 women in the Boston suburb found levels of breast
cancer that were 13 percent higher than the statewide rate between 1982-92.
The group that conducted the study -- the Silent Spring Institute -- reported
that women in this group indicated a more frequent use of: pesticides, vaginal
spermicides, professional lawn services, and drycleaning. The Boston Globe
Online quoted a Silent Springs epidemiologist who led the study, "We don't
know that any of these [factors] are breast cancer risks at this point." The
story also quoted a Massachusetts environmental official on the role of
environmental factors who said, "We don't see anything that stands out in the
environment itself."
Yet, a wire story by the Associated Press -- picked up by print and
broadcast media around the country -- unjustifiably suggests that drycleaning
could be a cause when no supporting evidence exists.
IFI's Fisher noted: "The study itself indicates that the Newton women were
much more likely to have had 10 mammograms and to do monthly self-examinations
than women in the comparative group, by a difference of 59 percent.
Additionally, more Newton women had their first pregnancies after the age of
30 -- a known risk factor for breast cancer. These factors by themselves could
have caused a higher reported rate of breast cancer. And, while the only
factors mentioned by Silent Spring are drycleaning and lawn service/products,
I am certain in my own mind that there were many other differences -- in terms
of lifestyle -- where Newton women did something more than the women in the
other group. I want to know why the Silent Spring Institute hasn't disclosed
these differences and I challenge Silent Spring to release all the survey data
for unbiased, third-party evaluation."
He added: "Since this study fails to offer clear and convincing evidence
that links drycleaning -- or any other factor -- to breast cancer rates in
Newton, I want to know why the Silent Spring Institute chose to single out
drycleaners and lawn services. At this point, I can only conclude that Silent
Spring was motivated by an agenda and a prejudice against drycleaning. Silent
Spring has slandered our industry and performed a real disservice in the area
of public health."
SOURCE International Fabricare Institute
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.ifi.org
CONTACT:
David J. Uchic of the International Fabricare
Institute, 800-638-2627, ext. 122
|
