Study Shows Black Women at Higher Risk of Breast Cancer From Chemicals in Personal Care Products

City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, conducted a study  showing that chemicals called parabens, which are found in widely used hair and personal care products, causes more harmful effects on breast cancer cells originating from Black women compared to cell lines from white women.  Dr. Lindsey Treviño, Ph.D., assistant professor in City of Hope’s Division of Health Equities, will discuss the study and talk about  the importance of educating women on the potential harm some common personal care products that contain parabens or other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.  Find out more about City of Hope at  www.cityofhope.org

Lindsey Treviño, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in City of Hope’s Division of Health Equities. Her research is focused on understanding the molecular basis by which exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals disturbs the epigenetic machinery, promoting the development of metabolic diseases where there are recognized health disparities such as cancer, obesity and diabetes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic reprogramming may provide potential prevention strategies for outreach and policy changes as well as therapeutic targets for precision medicine approaches in high-risk populations.