A review of hair product use on breast cancer risk in African American women

The incidence rate of breast cancer for African American women has recently converged with that of non‐Hispanic White women in the United States, although African Americans have a higher mortality rate due to this disease. Although most research exploring health disparities associated with this phen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer medicine (Malden, MA) MA), 2016-03, Vol.5 (3), p.597-604
Main Authors: Stiel, Laura, Adkins‐Jackson, Paris B., Clark, Phyllis, Mitchell, Eudora, Montgomery, Susanne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Americans
African Americans - statistics & numerical data
Age
Bisphenol A
Breast cancer
breast neoplasms
Breast Neoplasms - chemically induced
Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology
Breast Neoplasms - ethnology
Cancer Prevention
Cell growth
Chemicals
Endocrine disruptors
Environmental Exposure - adverse effects
Epigenetics
Estrogens
Estrogens - adverse effects
Female
Gene expression
Hair
Hair Preparations - adverse effects
Hair Preparations - chemistry
Health disparities
Health risk assessment
health status disparities
Hormone replacement therapy
Humans
Medical research
Menopause
Original Research
Parabens - adverse effects
Personal grooming
Phthalic Acids - adverse effects
Puberty
Researchers
Risk Factors
Women's Health
Womens health
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Summary:The incidence rate of breast cancer for African American women has recently converged with that of non‐Hispanic White women in the United States, although African Americans have a higher mortality rate due to this disease. Although most research exploring health disparities associated with this phenomenon has focused on differences between women based on biology and behavior, both the academic and lay communities have begun to explore the potential role of environmental exposure to estrogen and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This study reviews the current state of the science associating one such means of exposure, hair products containing EDCs, with breast cancer risk in African American women. We found a growing body of evidence linking: (1) environmental estrogen and EDC exposures to breast cancer risk, (2) the presence of such chemicals in personal care products, including hair products, and (3) the use of certain hair products with potential breast cancer risk in African Americans. At the same time, there is also increasing concern in the lay community about this risk. These results indicate the need for additional research, and the opportunity to benefit from strategic partnerships in community‐collaborative approaches in order to better understand the potential “cost of beauty.” Within the context of breast cancer health disparities, this review presents a growing body of evidence linking: (1) environmental estrogen and endocrine disrupting chemical exposures to breast cancer risk, (2) the presence of such chemicals in personal care products, including hair products, and (3) the use of certain hair products to breast cancer risk in African American women. This issue is also a source of increasing concern in the lay community, and there is an urgent need for additional research, including through strategic partnerships using community‐collaborative approaches.
ISSN:2045-7634
2045-7634
DOI:10.1002/cam4.613