Plastics Compound May Precipitate Prostate Cancer

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic compound commonly found in plastics and the linings of food cans.  The chemical has been the focus of recent concerns as data suggests that BPA acts as an endocrine disruptor in the human body, alters the body's hormonal balance by replicating the activity of naturally occurring estrogen.  Gail S. Prins, from the University of Illinois/Chicago (Illinois, USA), and colleagues used human prostate stem cells from organ donors to grow prostate tissue in a mouse model. They found that early BPA exposure significantly increased the risk of both prostate cancer and a precancerous condition known as prostate epithelial neoplasia (PIN). The incidence rates for PIN and prostate cancer were  12% of non-BPA exposed tissue, and 33-45% of tissue exposed to BPA.  The lead study author warns that: “These results suggest that stem cells are direct BPA targets which may explain the long-lasting effects of this chemical throughout the body.  They provide the first direct in vivo evidence that developmental exposure to environmentally relevant levels of BPA increases human prostate cancer risk."