Dioxin: a Chemical of Contradictions (Breast Cancer) OMRF McQueen Scholar Amy Bennie скачать в хорошем качестве

Dioxin: a Chemical of Contradictions (Breast Cancer) OMRF McQueen Scholar Amy Bennie

Imagine if eating ice cream could increase your risk of developing breast cancer? Well, depending on where the milk used to make it was produced, this may be the case. Dioxin is an extremely common and persistent chemical pollutant which is produced as a result of many industrial processes, including paper product bleaching, waste incineration and chemical manufacturing. If it makes its way into the environment, it will persist for incredibly long periods of time, and can even contaminate the meat and milk products of animals raised on the polluted land. This is a serious concern, as it is known that exposure to dioxin can increase the risk of developing several cancers. Rather interestingly, due to its molecular activity, dioxin has also been found to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Although contradictory, this model of activity is relatively well-accepted by many scientists. However, the findings of a key epidemiological study on dioxin exposure suggest that while risk decreases initially with small exposures, the risk of developing breast cancer may actually increase in individuals exposed to large amounts over long periods. This trend is highly unusual, and yet to be investigated. Thus, my research aims to investigate how low exposure to dioxin can reduce the risk of breast cancer, while high exposure may increase risk, by looking at resulting changes in different growth pathways in breast cancer cells. This will allow further understanding of the toxicological profile of dioxin and provide insight into how toxicity can be reduced in exposed individuals