Cleaning agents are essential in the production of countless products but what if certain chemicals in these products are putting people at risk of developing thyroid cancer
A new study found that occupational exposure to common chemical disinfectants increases the risk of thyroid cancer by 65%. These chemical disinfectants are a common additive to personal care products we use on the daily. The same study noted that jobs related to using these chemicals have harmful effects on the thyroid hormone production and function.
One recent study shows that occupational exposure to common chemical disinfectants, sanitizers, sterilizers, and deodorizers may increase the risk of developing thyroid cancer.
Those who work with these chemicals have an estimated 65% higher risk of developing the disease compared to those who don’t, the Yale University researchers said.
The research studied the risk of thyroid cancer in relation to workplace exposure to agricultural pesticides and biocides used as cleaning products. For this study, almost 500 thyroid cancer patients were compared to almost 500 “healthy” controls who were otherwise similar in factors such as age.
“Limited studies have investigated occupational exposure to pesticides in relation to thyroid cancer and have reached inconsistent results,” commented lead study author Dr. Yawei Zhang, an environmental health researcher at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Unlike some previous studies, there was no link between pesticide use and thyroid cancer.
“Our study did not support an association between occupational exposure to pesticides and risk of thyroid cancer, but suggested that occupational exposure to other biocides might be associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer,” Zhang continued.
Image courtesy of: Residential Cleaners Association
