Women are exposed to hazardous chemicals that have been linked to breast cancer every day. However, until now, little has been done to deal with this issue, nor prevent the development of this disease as a result of such exposure.

A new study conducted at the Silent Spring Institute sought to encourage an increase in tests to measure the level of these chemicals in people.

Researchers involved in the study identified 17 different chemicals that were said to be top targets for breast cancer prevention. Such chemicals include diesel, gasoline, paint removers, stain-resistant textiles, flame retardants, and disinfection byproducts found in drinking water.

The study provided a blueprint of how to effectively measure the presence and levels of the chemicals in women. The National Institutes of Health is prepared to test samples from approximately 50,000 women in order to closely evaluate and monitor direct causes of breast cancer.

The study has shown that the same chemicals that caused mammary cancer in lab rates were also linked to breast cancer in humans. Exposure biomarkers for 102 chemicals that caused mammary cancer in rodents were identified, and were compared between humans and animals as evidence of potential association with breast cancer.

Carcinogenicity in humans and rats is typically similar. However, comparisons are limited due to the low number of agents currently studied in humans.

Researchers with the study concluded that exposure measurement methods should be more readily available to broaden biomonitoring related to breast cancer prevention.

The findings of the study are published in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) journal, Environmental Health Perspectives.