What are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)?

Today is World Cancer Day – a day for people and communities to unite and raise awareness to prevent cancer.

To mark World Cancer Day, we’ve launched our new video series on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).  We’re highlighting their links to breast cancer to encourage people to take action to reduce their risk.

We want to PUT PREVENTION FIRST.

In this video series you’ll discover:

• What are EDCs?
• The History of EDCs
• The links between EDCs and breast cancer

So, what are EDCs and why should we be concerned?

We are extremely concerned that exposure to EDCs is increasing our vulnerability to breast cancer and contributing to an increase in cases.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are chemicals that interfere with our hormones. They are not made by our bodies and can harm our health and that of wildlife. According to the Endocrine Society, there are at least 1,000 known or suspected EDCs.  Exposure to EDCs, even at low concentrations, has been linked to numerous health problems including breast and prostate cancers, obesity, diabetes, reproductive problems, and developmental effects.

Yet EDCs continue to be used everywhere, in our everyday products and polluting our environment. What’s more, UK cancer prevention plans don’t recognise the risk EDCs pose to our health and the need to reduce exposure in our homes, workplaces, and the environment. This failure in public health policy is weakening our battle to prevent breast cancer!

Here at BCUK, we’re dedicated to the prevention of breast cancer by tackling the environmental and lifestyle causes of the disease.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the UK.  Around 56,000 people are diagnosed every year and countless more are affected by the disease. Yet at least 1 in 4 breast cancers are preventable. This represents a staggering 13,000 cases that could be prevented through actions such as lifestyle changes and reducing exposure to EDCs.  Fighting the devastating impact of this disease is what we’re passionate about. That’s why prevention is at the heart of everything we do!

Watch our video series to find out more.

If you would like to support our work on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, please donate today. You can help prevent breast cancer.