BPA Exposure While in the Womb May Raise Prostate Cancer Risk

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic compound commonly found in plastics and the linings of food cans.  The chemical has been the focus of recent concerns as data suggests that BPA acts as an endocrine disruptor in the human body.  Gail Prins, from the University of Illinois (Illinois, USA), and colleagues used a mouse model  implanted with human prostate stem cells, fed the mice with BPA – an amount equivalent to that typical of an adult’s everyday exposure,, and treated them with estrogen to mimic the natural rise in the hormone seen in aging men.  One in three developed prostate cancer or pre-cancerous lesions, as compared with just 12% of mice fed oil instead of BPA.  The study authors report that: “developmental exposure to BPA at low doses increases hormone-dependent cancer risk in the human prostate epithelium.”