;)
January 3rd, 2024
A troubling new study out of Yale School of Public Health shows that certain “forever chemicals” promote the migration of cancer cells to new locations – indicating that these chemicals may foster cancer metastasis in living organisms.
Forever chemicals are a group of industrial chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that don’t break down in the environment and accumulate in the human body. Corporations like DuPont, 3M, and others have commercialized these chemicals and infected nearly every human on the planet with them. They’re in our drinking water, food, food packaging, cleaning products, bath and body products, indoor dust, and plenty of other everyday contact points. Forever chemicals show up in the blood of newborns in fish and mussels and even in bird eggs.
There is no safe level for PFAS in the body. Just last month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified a common forever chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as carcinogenic to humans and another common PFAS, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), as possibly carcinogenic. Firefighters are a particular class that is heavily exposed to PFAS present in firefighting foam, and studies have shown that they experience colorectal cancer at higher rates than the general population.
This recent work at Yale found that placing human cancer cells in forever chemical mixtures boosted the cells’ migration ability, spread, and ability to penetrate cell membranes. Additional analysis also showed that these cells produced a variety of fatty acids, amino acids, and signaling proteins in patterns previously linked to cancer metastasis.
While the work consisted of in vitro (i.e. lab) studies, which can’t be directly translated into humans, and while more research is necessary to better understand the phenomenon, the work does provide insight into yet another mechanism by which forever chemicals can further harm.
If you believe your health has been harmed by exposure to forever chemicals, you should contact an experienced law firm right away to explore your rights.
