In Utero Estrogen Exposure Linked to Testicular Germ-Cell Cancer
More and more evidence is accumulating that suggests that a fetus’ exposure to chemicals in the womb can have long term effects. Recent studies suggest that maternal exposure to pesticides will increase the risk of a certain type of brain tumor in infants. This exposure to estrogen would include environmental estrogens (xenoestrogens) found as toxins in many foods.
Int J Cancer 2000;87:438-443 Prenatal exposure to maternal hormones, especially estrogen, appears to influence subsequent risk of developing testicular germ-cell cancer, according to researchers in Canada and the US. For instance, exposure to exogenous hormones (pregnancy tests or treatment for near miscarriage), preterm birth and first birth to a young mother were associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer. Maternal smoking during pregnancy (12 cigarettes per day or more), which is believed to have an “anti-estrogen” effect, decreased the risk of cancer. Bleeding or threatened miscarriage also reduced the risk of cancer, but the reason for this association is not yet clear, the investigators write. “Our results support the hypothesis that exposure to maternal hormones, particularly estrogen, is associated with testicular germ-cell cancer risk,” Dr. Weir and colleagues conclude. This link warrants further investigation in more “direct” studies, they believe.