Is Bisphenol-A Stopping Chemotherapy from Killing Cancer Cells?
Monday October 13, 2008
Bisphenol A—an industrial chemical found in many common household plastic products as well as the bloodstreams of most adults and children—has sparked a growing controversy as government agencies, scientists and medical professionals argue over its possible link to health problems ranging from heart disease to diabetes.
Now, a team of researchers at the University of Cincinnati has found that bisphenol A (BPA for short) may actually be endangering human health in a whole new way, by protecting cancer cells from the effects of chemotherapy.
Despite this seemingly dark cloud, however, the study may contain a silver lining that could point to a breakthrough in more effective treatment for some cancer patients whose resistance to chemotherapy has previously baffled doctors.
Learn more about this new study of BPA and chemotherapy.
And while you’re at it, discover eight simple ways you can lower your exposure to BPA.
Comments
I don’t get how something in plastic protects cancer cells fro the effects of chemotherapy. This seems somewhat interesting, though… I wonder how it’s possible..?
Without knowing how that particular chemical works, possible effects of a chemical on chemotherapy could include: effects on protein levels that carry the chemo agent around the blood, effects on cell receptor sites that allow the chemo agent to get into the cancer cell, binding to the chemo agent to render it ineffective, preventing adequate absorption of the chemo agent, causing an increase in the metabolism of the chemo agent, etc etc.
I still wouldn’t worry about it too much. Considering that life expectancy in general continues to increase and increases in ca survival rates for a new therapy are considered a “break thru” if they add only a couple weeks to average survival, chemo isn’t much of a bargain anyways, for most cancers.