The most common type of liver cancer is associated with permanent chemical exposure, new research suggests confirmed for the first time.
A group of chemicals called perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls (PFASs), called "eternal chemicals" because they do not degrade naturally, are widespread and accumulate in humans and the environment. .They are found in consumer andindustrialproducts such as non-stick pans, to-go containers,cosmetics,carpets and textiles.
The researcher found that people most exposed to the chemical were 4.5 times more likely to develop liver cancer. They believe PFAS can disrupt liver function and lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – a risk factor for liver cancer.
University of Southern California Scientists at the Keck College of Medicine at (USC) say their research is a step forward. Previous studies have shown that exposure to PFAS increases the risk of liver cancer, but the US study is the first to confirm the association using human samples.
"Liver cancer is one of the most serious endpoints of liver disease, and this indicates that his PFAS is associated with this disease in humans." It is the first study of Postdoctoral researcher and co-author.
Strikingly, the top 10% of subjects permanently exposed to chemicals were more likely to develop liver cancer than those with the lowest levels of PFAS in her blood. 4.5 times higher.
The team collected data from a multiethnic cohort study at the University of Hawaii that followed more than 200,000 residents of Los Angeles and Hawaii. Human samples were used to investigate the development of cancer and other diseases. illness.
This data led to 50 participants who eventually developed liver cancer.Scientists evaluated blood samples taken prior to cancer diagnosis. , compared with 50 people in the same study who did not develop cancer.
Researchers believe that PFAS cause liver cancer by disrupting metabolic processes in the organ and promoting fat accumulation.This is known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
``In recent years, there has been a dramatic and unexplained increase in NAFLD worldwide. It is concerning because the risk of developing liver cancer is much higher,” the authors explain. "NAFLD is expected to affect 30% of all adults in the United States by 2030."
Used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, PFASs were It was first detected in the blood of people exposed to these chemicals at work.
By the 1990s, they had been found in the blood of the general population, raising awareness of potential health risks.
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