Forwarded message:
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 1995 19:27:33 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mike Gurstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: social summit <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [PEN-L:5645] Fwd:cancer & foundation funds (fwd)
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I thought this might be of interest...
Mike Gurstein
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 18:22:19 -0700
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [PEN-L:5645] Fwd:cancer & foundation funds
I wrote the following for femecon-l, but it also applies to the issues raised
by gina neff about who funds what. maggie
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Date: 95-06-22 18:37:29 EDT
In the July 3, 1995 issue of "For Women First" (a woman's magazine sold
in super markets) there is an article titled "What they won't tell you about
breast cancer." I think it is a must read. The article points out that the
standard answers for causes of breast cancer: age, heredity, estrogen and
diet, do NOT explain three out of four cases of breast cancer. They say both
the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society are
underfunding new research which had been done which draws direct connections
between environmental factors and breast cancer. Specifically, carcinogenic
chemicals like DDT and PCBs have been found in heavy concentrations in
malignant breast tumors by Dr. Mary Wolff of the Mount Sinai School of
Medicine. Three years ago the University of Connecticut found similarly high
levels of DDT and PCBs in benign lumps. The US Environmental Protection
Agency found that counties with hazardous waste sites were 6.5 times more
likely to have elevated breast cancer rates than counties without them.
Israel, which banned several pesticides in 1978, has reversed what was a
fast growing rate of breast cancer in the 1970s and is now the only
industrialized country in the world with a REDUCING breast cancer rate.
The article says part of the problem is that cancer research is in a
large degree funded by coporations such as Zeneca, a London based corporation
with a $6 billion a year investment in production of toxic chemicals
suspected of causing chancer. They also produce a drug called Nolvadex which
is an anti-estrogen drug used to treat breast cancer, to the tune of $470
million a year. There is more info on other corporations in the article, but
in the interest of brevity ...... In literature during Cancer awareness
month or special programs or education from different cancer institutes,
environmental studies and causes are never mentioned. Further, the smallest
percentage of research funds is given to environmental studies, even though
environmental causes are probably more universal and could potentially
explain more than any other cause traditionally focussed on.
One place where there has been large clusters of breast cancer is Long
Island. During the decade of the 50s women on Long Island were exposed
regularly to DDT by planes dusting over head. (Sorry to say, that's where
and when I grew up.)
Anyhow. Go to the supermarket and buy the magazine, it's worth the $1.99.
While I am not at work and near a xerox machine these days, if anyone wants
to send me a self addressed, stamped envelope and 50 cents, I will xerox and
mail the article. maggie coleman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
Michael Golden
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Biology
Grossmont College
8800 Grossmont College Drive
El Cajon, CA 92020
619-465-1700 x332
