Breast Cancer Linked to Cleaning Products

As if anyone needed another reason to stop scrubbing, here's another: cleaning products have been linked to breast cancer in a new study. Scientists also found a link between an increased risk of developing the cancer to air fresheners and insect repellents. Women who regularly used a combination of cleaning products were twice as likely to have breast cancer, with the strongest link emerging between cancer and mold and mildew removers, and air freshener, the Independent reports.

Researchers pointed out that many of the products contained "endocrine-disrupting" chemicals linked to breast cancer in lab experiments on mice. The head of a breast cancer organization particularly warned women already diagnosed with the disease to take a "precautionary approach and review the levels of potentially-hazardous chemicals in the products they use." An industry group dismissed the findings, and said the study was tainted by "recall bias" because women were asked to remember which products they used.
(More breast cancer stories.)