Synopses of recent important papers on environmental exposures
and health outcomes available at ProtectingOurHealth.org

2004: A CHE overview of health conditions linked to human disease

Asthma

• 2004: Children's asthma, eczema, rhinitis linked to phthalate in dust
• 2004: Wheezing more likely for farmers working with diesel, paints, pesticides
• 2003: Risk of early persistent asthma increased by exposure to herbicides before age 1 yr.
• 2003: Air pollutant nitrogen dioxide exacerbates asthma, at levels beneath current standards

Birth Defects

• 2003: Chlorphenoxy herbicides linked to birth defects
• 2003: Plastic monomer causes meiotic aneuploidy

Brain Tumors

• 2004: Low level magnetic radiation causes DNA damage in brains
• 2003: Asking the wrong questions about cancer and developmental exposures
• 2002: Flaws in cancer reporting system provide false assurances about trends

Breast Cancer

• 2004: Women with a specific genotype when exposed to PCBs are at greater risk to breast cancer
• 2003: Cadmium provokes estrogenic response in breast tissue at extremely low exposure levels
• 2002: DES exposure linked to increased breast cancer risk in DES daughters
• 2002: Long Island study finds no association between risk and contamination at the time of diagnosis
• 2002: Dioxin exposure in Seveso accident increases breast cancer risk
• 2001: A review of the epidemiology of breast cancer
• 2001: Bisphenol A induces changes in breast development linked to cancers
• 2000: Dieldrin linked to higher breast cancer mortality
• 1998: Dieldrin linked to breast cancer risk

Cancer

• 2004: Children of farmers licensed to apply pesticides at greater risk to cancer
• 2004: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma linked to organochlorine pesticides
• 2004: Too much farmed salmon may increase cancer risk despite other health benefits
• 2003: Green tea interferes with the way that dioxin causes cancer
• 2003: Are current declines in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma rates tied to chemical bans in the '70s?
• 2002: Lead associated with increased mortality to cancer and circulatory diseases
• 2002: Asking the wrong questions about cancer and developmental exposures
• 2002: Flaws in cancer reporting system provide false assurances about trends
• 2001: Uterine cancer in animals linked to phytoestrogen in soy

Childhood Leukemia

• 2002: Childhood leukemia linked to pesticide exposure in the womb during fetal development
• 2002: Asking the wrong questions about cancer and developmental exposures
• 2002: Flaws in cancer reporting system provide false assurances about trends

Endometriosis

• 2002: Endometriosis linked to high rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders
• 2002: Strong ties between dioxin and endometriosis

Infertility

• 2005: Low sperm count measurements in Denmark not a result of sexual immaturity
• 2004: A single low exposure to PBDE in the womb causes reduction in adult rat sperm counts
• 2004: Gulf War veterans more likely to have fertility impairment and longer time to conception
• 2003: A phthalate is linked to preterm birth in babies
• 2003: Dramatic link between sperm quality and pesticide exposure
• 2003: Sons of mothers who smoked alot during pregnancy have low sperm count
• 2003: Phthalates linked to low sperm count in men, at environmental levels
• 2003: Phthalates and damage to human sperm
• 2002: Missouri men have low sperm counts
• 2002: The human fetus is exposed to biologically significant levels of bisphenol A
• 2002: Fewer boys born to Russian pesticide workers exposed to dioxin
• 2002: Significant prenatal exposure to bisphenol A widespread in people
• 2002: Fetal implantation rates in mice reduced by low levels of herbicide mixture
• 2002: East-west gradient in semen quality in NE Europe
• 2002: Decline in semen quality may be a contributor to declines in human fertility
• 2001: Testicular cancer, sperm count declines and other health impacts linked in common syndrome
• 2001: DDE tied to pre-term birth and low birth weight
• 2000: Current data consistent with long-term decline in sperm count in many places
• 2000: Surprising number of Danish young men have low sperm counts
• 1999: The challenges of using historical data to assess sperm count trends

Learning and behavioral disorders

• 2004: A single low exposure to PBDE in the womb causes ADHD in pubertal rats
• 2004: Low level magnetic radiation causes DNA damage in brains
• 2004: Environmental exposures and autism.
• 2004: Exposure to lead in the womb may be linked to adult schizophrenia.
• 2003: Brains of autistic children develop differently, starting in the womb.
• 2003: Study questions concerns about fetal impacts of low-level methyl mercury in fish
• 2003: Lead levels deemed safe by CDC found to impair children's intellectual development
• 2003: exposure in the womb to developmental neurotoxins linked to reduced head size of baby
• 2003: fewer neurotoxic pesticides in organic than in conventional produce
• 2003: Mobile phone radiation causes neuronal damage in rats
• 2002: neurotoxic mercury body burden can be decreased by change in diet
• 2002: Criminal behavior more likely in teenagers with high lead levels
• 2002: PCBs and dioxin affect sex appropriate play behaviors in children
• 2002: ADHD linked to smaller brain sizes, most likely due to fetal error in development
• 2002: Autism not tied to MMR vaccine according to large Danish study
• 2002: study indicates drastic increase in California autism is real, not an artifact
• 2000: Broad review of literature strengthens links between contaminants and impaired neurological function
• 1998: Low-level PCB exposure causes ADHD-like behaviors in young monkeys
• 1996: Lead levels linked to delinquent behavior and aggression

Prostate Cancer

• 2003: Pesticide applicators at greater risk to prostate cancer
• 2003: Organochlorine hexachlorobenze disrupts androgen regulation in prostate
• 2002: P lastic monomer bisphenol A likely to interfere with prostate cancer treatment
• 2002: Asking the wrong questions about cancer and developmental exposures
• 2002: Flaws in cancer reporting system provide false assurances about trends

Testicular Cancer

• 2003: Higher organochlorine contamination in mothers linked to testicular cancer in sons
• 2002: Asking the wrong questions about cancer and developmental exposures
• 2002: Flaws in cancer reporting system provide false assurances about trends
• 2001: Testicular cancer linked to developmental syndrome