American scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Center have identified which groups of substances from the family of “infinite chemicals” can cause thyroid cancer. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine eBioMedicine.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals used in cookware, food containers, clothing, and other items are called “persistent chemicals.” They make items resistant to temperature and water. There are more than 10 thousand different PFAS today. These compounds are very stable, almost indegradable and can accumulate in soil, water and the human body.
Researchers studied 88 thyroid cancer patients and measured the levels of eight PFAS in the participants’ blood. The results showed that exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (n-PFOS, a group of chemicals related to PFAS) increased the risk of thyroid cancer by 56%.
In addition, branched perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorooctylphosphonic acid and linear perfluorohexanesulfonic acid were also found to be carcinogenic.
“The results of this study provide further evidence of the PFAS health crisis and highlight the need to reduce and hopefully eliminate PFAS exposure in the future,” said study co-author Lauren Petrick, assistant professor of environmental medicine and public health.
Previous scientists I learned Effects of PFAS on child hormones.