Smokeless tobacco also poses health risks, researchers say

Researchers found carcinogens from smokeless
tobacco products in household dust.
Photo by Uffe_Johansson 

Secondhand exposure to tobacco may be possible even when no cigarette smoke is involved, according to a new study.

An analysis of dust samples from six homes with smokeless tobacco users shows that the dust there contains more tobacco-specific carcinogens and alkaloids than dust from non-tobacco-using homes, putting household members, especially children, at risk of indirect exposure

Scientists have long known that cigarette smoke is carcinogenic, whether inhaled by the user, by others as secondhand smoke, or brought into the home on clothing as thirdhand smoke.

But they didn’t know whether indirect exposures could arise with smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco or moist snuff.

Todd P. Whitehead of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health and his colleagues wondered whether smokeless tobacco use at home might taint household dust.

They were already collecting dust samples from homes as part of the California Childhood Leukemia Study, which among other things explores how environmental exposures to contaminants such as cigarette smoke could influence leukemia risks.

Of the households they surveyed and analyzed, six told the researchers that they had users only of smokeless tobacco, six had users only of cigarettes, and 20 had no tobacco users.

Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, researchers analyzed dust samples from these homes for five nitrosamines that are found only in tobacco, as well as five tobacco-only alkaloids such as myosmine. The team also used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure nicotine, the best-known tobacco alkaloid, which is addictive.

The team wanted to distinguish smokeless-tobacco contamination from cigarette-smoke contamination, so they calculated the ratio of myosmine to nicotine. In unburned tobacco, myosmine content is less than 0.5% of the nicotine content. But as tobacco burns, myosmine is produced, increasing the ratio to roughly 7% in tobacco smoke.

Levels of two key carcinogenic nitrosamines—N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)—were roughly five and seven times as high, respectively, in the dust of smokeless-tobacco households as in samples from tobacco-free households.

Moreover, the median myosmine-nicotine ratio was 1.8% in smokeless-tobacco households versus 7.7% in cigarette-user households, confirming that contamination in the smokeless-tobacco homes came primarily from smokeless tobacco.

Whitehead warns that the researchers don’t yet know how much of a risk this dust contamination might pose, or how the smokeless tobacco got into the dust.

But the findings suggest that household members who don’t use smokeless tobacco could be exposed to its known carcinogens.

Young children, who often play on the ground and put their hands in their mouths, can accidentally ingest dust and may be especially vulnerable to exposure, he says.

The contamination could come from activities such as opening a package or dropping small amounts on the floor during use, Whitehead says, which could lead to simple strategies for reducing the risk of contamination.

Hugo Destaillats, an environmental chemist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who wasn’t involved with the work, calls the findings an interesting first step.

The sample size was small, note both Whitehead and Destaillats, and the study didn’t directly measure anyone’s exposures.

Additional research, they suggest, could focus on the amount of tobacco-related compounds that young kids ingest when they live with someone who uses smokeless tobacco, and the resulting health risks. And Destaillats suggests doing future studies to see how dust contamination might vary in other geographical areas.

Source: American Chemical Society. This article has been edited for length.

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Weed killer linked to chronic illness

Toxic chemicals used in farming may contaminate our
food, water and air, experts say.

The bestselling herbicide in Canada and the world, glyphosate was once promoted as safe enough to drink. But some critics are raising renewed alarm.

One of them is Thierry Vrain, a plant pathologist and former head of biotechnology with Agriculture Canada, who says there is no safe intake level for this toxic chemical, which appears to be linked to a rising tide of chronic illnesses.

Indeed, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has just declared glyphosate a "probable carcinogen."

Farmers have used glyphosate to weed Ontario fields since 1978. But the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops in 1997 - most of them designed to be glyphosate-tolerant - was a game changer. Farmers could now raze weeds with a single blanket spray of glyphosate without killing their crops.

Though industry promised GM crops would drive down pesticide application, glyphosate use has risen dramatically, by some 76 per cent between 2003 and 2008 in Ontario.

Farmers are increasingly using the herbicide as a desiccant (dryer) on both GM and conventional plants, making harvesting easier or moving up a harvest threatened by bad weather.

It's increasingly difficult to avoid the most popular herbicide on earth. A recent study of U.S. honey found 59 per cent of samples contained glyphosate.

Though a safe glyphosate level in honey hasn't been determined, recent research suggests the current level of glyphosate exposure in general may constitute a health threat to the population.

You might think organic crops would be free of this chemical, but glyphosate has recently been discovered in samples of air and water, so all food may now be tainted.

Glyphosate was first thought to pose little threat because neither human nor animal cells have shikimate pathways, a metabolic route used by plants and bacteria.

Glyphosate does its deadly work by binding to the metal atoms of enzymes in the plant's pathways, preventing them from producing critical amino acids. Without those, the plant dies.

New discoveries about the human microbiome - including the 100 trillion bacteria in the human gut - are starting to reveal the critical role microorganisms play in promoting human health.

Don Huber, professor emeritus of plant pathology at Purdue University, says that just as it attacks plants, glyphosate can demobilize the bacteria on which humans and animals depend.

But Joe Schwarcz, director of the Office for Science & Society at McGill University, says the theories need to be proven under proper laboratory conditions before they should be believed.

Antibiotic threat

Monsanto patented the chemical as an antibiotic in 2010, a tacit acknowledgement of its effectiveness in killing microbes, though the pesticide industry maintains it's applied to fields in concentrations too low to produce any serious antimicrobial effects in the animals, including us, consuming those crops. Schwarcz insists the antibiotic effect is "absolutely trivial."

But Huber argues that increasing miscarriages, birth defects and chronic botulism in cattle, sheep and pigs are signs of glyphosate's strong antibiotic activity against beneficial organisms.

Backing up Huber, Vrain points to research from 2013 showing that, at a concentration of just one part per million, glyphosate killed all the beneficial bacteria in the guts of poultry. Only salmonella and clostridium survived - pathogens blamed for farm animal illness.

In the meantime, a recently published study by Nancy Swanson virtually twinned increasing rates of glyphosate use with rising incidence of a host of chronic diseases. They include liver, kidney and bladder cancers; Crohn's and celiac disease; stroke, diabetes and autism, among others.

New GM seeds resistant to glyphosate, as well as 2,4-D, are expected to start rolling out across Canada this year. The new seeds will help farmers battle glyphosate-resistant weeds.

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While Vrain admits that biotechnology has been transformative for the just over 2 per cent of Canadians who farm, "One hundred per cent of people eat," he says.

Source: Now Toronto. This article has been edited for length.

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Why you need an air purifier in your home or office

Poor indoor air quality can lead to short-term and long-term
health effects, especially in children and the elderly.

As air purifier manufacturers, we get a lot of calls from people who are starting to notice the effects of poor indoor air quality.

This comes as no surprise. After all, people spend up to 90% of their time indoors (think about yourself – where do you spend most of your time? At home, at the office, in school, in other indoor spaces?)

Fact is, we spend most of our time indoors and many buildings are not equipped to provide the best quality air.

Common indoor air contaminants include:

• Airborne chemicals coming from various sources such as building materials, cleaning products, cosmetics, scents (air “fresheners”), paint, furniture, cooking
• Stale air
• Mold
• Radon
• Dust
• Tobacco smoke
• Pollen
• Mold

We have no choice in breathing. But if we keep breathing contaminated air, we run the risk of developing health concerns, either short-term, or long-term.

The American College of Allergists says that 50% of all illnesses are either caused by, or aggravated by, polluted indoor air. Pregnant women, fetuses, infants, children and the elderly are most vulnerable to indoor air pollution.

And while short-term health effects sound merely bothersome, including irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches and fatigue, the long-term health effects are rather scary: These can include respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer (EPA). 

According to the latest research, cancer has become the second leading cause of death worldwide. Toxic exposures in the environment are responsible for a substantial percentage of all cancers, between 7 and 19%, according to Environmental Health Perspectives.

How to protect yourself from poor IAQ

Even though we have no choice in breathing, we can control the quality of the air we are exposed to the most. This can be done through source control, improved ventilation and humidity control,

Open windows regularly. Even when it is cold outside, it is important to avoid a buildup of stale and contaminated air indoors.

Avoid using products that can release harmful chemicals or fumes.

Replace your HVAC filters regularly.

Use an indoor air purifier. A complete indoor air purifier needs to have activated carbon, HEPA and UV filters as well as prefilters. They can be free-standing, or attached to the HVAC system and they can run continuously to help remove airborne chemicals, fumes, odors, particles, allergens, asthmagens, mold, bacteria and viruses.

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Smokers' homes may be as polluted as worst cities: Study

Polluted air due to smoking has been
linked to heart disease, strokes and cancer.

Living with a smoker can be like breathing the air in the world’s most polluted cities, according to a new study from Scotland.

“The message is pretty simple really - smoking in your home leads to really poor air quality and results in concentrations of fine particles, that you can’t see, that would cause real concern to us if they were found outside,” said lead author Sean Semple, of the Scottish Center for Indoor Air at the University of Aberdeen.

Tiny particles 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller, known as PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the blood. They’ve been linked to heart disease, strokes and cancer.

“Making your home smoke-free is key to reducing your exposure to PM2.5; for non-smokers who live with a smoker the impact of implementing smoke-free house rules would reduce their daily intake of PM2.5 by 70 percent or more,” Semple told Reuters Health in an email.

Such tiny particles typically result from combustion. Outdoors, the primary sources are vehicle exhaust, power plants and wildfires. Indoors, wood-burning or coal-burning stoves, gas cooking and heating fires and tobacco smoke are the most common sources of PM2.5 in the air.

For outdoor air, the World Health Organization says the safe exposure limit for PM2.5 particles is an average of 25 micrograms, or 25 millionths of a gram, per cubic meter of air over a 24-hour period, or average annual levels of 10 micrograms per cubic meter.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets the 24-hour limit at an average of 12 micrograms.

Semple and his colleagues wanted to bring together two scientific communities: those involved in tobacco control work and those interested in outdoor air pollution and health.

“We think there is a lot that each can learn from the other,” he said.

Many studies have examined outdoor air pollution or indoor air quality in workplaces. But home is where most people spend the majority of their time, particularly small children and homebound elderly people, the researchers write.

By comparing indoor air pollution in the homes of smokers and non-smokers, then comparing that to the most polluted cities, they hoped to illustrate the perils of indoor tobacco smoke over a lifetime.

The study team looked at data from four separate studies that measured PM2.5 levels in 93 Scottish homes where people smoked and 17 homes that were smoke free.

On average, PM2.5 levels in smokers' homes were around 31 micrograms per cubic meter – 10 times greater than the average of 3 micrograms in non-smoking homes.

There was a wide range of smoke concentrations in the smokers’ homes, however, and in one quarter of them, the 24-hour averages were 111 micrograms.

Semple pointed out, “A considerable proportion of smokers’ homes had air pollution levels that were the same or higher than the annual average PM2.5 concentration measured in Beijing,” a heavily polluted city.

The study team estimates that over a lifetime, a non-smoker living with a smoker will inhale about 6 grams more particulate matter than a non-smoker living in a smoke-free home.

Semple said that isn’t much, but this amount is likely to "have a substantial effect on the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.”

Semple said smokers often express the view that outdoor traffic pollution is a bigger problem than second-hand smoke pollution in the home.

“What this work shows is that, for most people living outside of major heavily polluted mega-cities like Beijing or Delhi, outdoor air pollution is much, much lower than what is measured inside homes where someone smokes,” he said.

“We have a lot of data and it’s an established fact how bad secondhand smoke is,” said Lucy Popova, from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco. “There’s no safe level of exposure to it.”

“Smoke-free rules help not only by reducing the particulate matters for non-smokers but it actually helps smokers to quit too,” said Popova, who was not involved in the Scottish study.

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“Research shows when you have smoke-free rules in your home, that motivates smokers to make more cessation attempts and decrease the number of cigarettes that they smoke.”

Source: Fox News

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Smoking linked with increased risk of most common type of breast cancer

Photo: stockimages/freedigitalphotos.net

Young women who smoke and have been smoking a pack a day for a decade or more have a significantly increased risk of developing the most common type of breast cancer. That is the finding of an analysis published in the journal Cancer.

The majority of recent studies evaluating the relationship between smoking and breast cancer risk among young women have found that smoking is linked with an increased risk; however, few studies have evaluated risks according to different subtypes of breast cancer.

The researchers found that young women who were current or recent smokers and had been smoking a pack a day for at least 10 years had a 60 percent increased risk of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. In contrast, smoking was not related to a woman's risk of triple-negative breast cancer. Estrogen receptor positive breast cancer is the most common subtype of breast cancer, while triple-negative breast cancer is less common but tends to be more aggressive.

"The health hazards associated with smoking are numerous and well known," says researcher Christopher Li, MD, PhD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "This study adds to our knowledge in suggesting that with respect to breast cancer, smoking may increase the risk of the most common molecular subtype of breast cancer but not influence risk of one of the rarer, more aggressive subtypes."

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Heavy air pollution, male cancer spikes found downwind of “Industrial Heartland”

Isobel Simpson / UC Irvine

Levels of contaminants higher than in some of the world’s most polluted cities have been found downwind of Canada’s largest oil, gas and tar sands processing zone, in a rural area where men suffer elevated rates of cancers linked to such chemicals.

The findings by UC Irvine and University of Michigan scientists, published online this week, reveal high levels of the carcinogens 1,3-butadiene and benzene and other airborne pollutants. The researchers also obtained health records spanning more than a decade that showed the number of men with leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was greater in communities closest to the pollution plumes than in neighboring counties. The work is a dramatic illustration of a new World Health Organization report that outdoor air pollution is a leading cause of cancer.

While the scientists stopped short of saying that the pollutants they documented were definitely causing the male cancers, they strongly recommended that the industrial emissions be decreased to protect both workers and nearby residents.

“Our study was designed to test what kinds of concentrations could be encountered on the ground during a random visit downwind of various facilities. We’re seeing elevated levels of carcinogens and other gases in the same area where we’re seeing excess cancers known to be caused by these chemicals,” said UC Irvine chemist Isobel Simpson, lead author of the paper in Atmospheric Environment. “Our main point is that it would be good to proactively lower these emissions of known carcinogens. You can study it and study it, but at some point you just have to say, ‘Let’s reduce it.’ ”

Co-author Stuart Batterman, a University of Michigan professor of environmental health sciences, agreed: “These levels, found over a broad area, are clearly associated with industrial emissions. They also are evidence of major regulatory gaps in monitoring and controlling such emissions and in public health surveillance.”

The researchers captured emissions in the rural Fort Saskatchewan area downwind of major refineries, chemical manufacturers and tar sands processors owned by BP, Dow, Shell and other companies in the so-called “Industrial Heartland” of Alberta. They took one-minute samples at random times in 2008, 2010 and 2012. All showed similar results. Amounts of some dangerous volatile organic compounds were 6,000 times higher than normal.

The team compared the Alberta plumes to heavily polluted megacities. To their surprise, the scientists saw that levels of some chemicals were higher than in Mexico City during the 1990s or in the still polluted Houston-Galveston area.

Simpson is part of UC Irvine’s Blake-Rowland Group, which has measured air pollution around the world for decades. She and Batterman said the findings were important for other residential areas downwind of refineries and chemical manufacturers, including parts of Los Angeles.

“For any community downwind of heavy industrial activity, I would say it’s certainly prudent to conduct surveys of both air quality – especially carcinogens – and human health,” Simpson said.

“For decades, we’ve known that exposure to outdoor air pollutants can cause respiratory and cardiovascular disease,” Batterman said. “The World Health Organization has now also formally recognized that outdoor air pollution is a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths.”

Longtime residents near industrial Alberta have struggled to bring attention to bad odors, health threats and related concerns. The peer-reviewed study is one of few in the region and more investigation of the large and complex facilities is needed.

Air purifiers for industrial pollution

For example, Simpson said, it appeared in some cases that the companies were not reporting all of the tons of chemicals they release. She and her colleagues documented high levels of 1,3-butadiene that could only have come from one facility, but she said the company had not reported any such emissions.

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Children of long-lived parents less likely to get cancer

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net

The offspring of parents who live to a ripe old age are more likely to live longer themselves, and less prone to cancer and other common diseases associated with ageing, a study has revealed.

Experts at the University of Exeter Medical School, supported by the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care in the South West Peninsula (NIHR PenCLAHRC), led an international collaboration which discovered that people who had a long-lived mother or father were 24% less likely to get cancer. The scientists compared the children of long-lived parents to children whose parents survived to average ages for their generation.

The scientists classified long-lived mothers as those who survived past 91 years old, and compared them to those who reached average age spans of 77 to 91. Long-lived fathers lived past 87 years old, compared with the average of 65 to 87 years. The scientists studied 938 new cases of cancer that developed during the 18 year follow-up period.

The team also involved experts from the National Institute for Health and Medical Research in France (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale), the University of Michigan and the University of Iowa. They found that overall mortality rates dropped by up to 19 per cent for each decade that at least one of the parents lived past the age of 65. For those whose mothers lived beyond 85, mortality rates were 40 per cent lower. The figure was a little lower (14 per cent) for fathers, possibly because of adverse lifestyle factors such as smoking, which may have been more common in the fathers.

In the study, published in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A, the scientists analysed data from a series of interviews conducted with 9,764 people taking part in the Health and Retirement Study. The participants were based in America, and were followed up over 18 years, from 1992 to 2010. They were interviewed every two years, with questions including the ages of their parents and when they died. In 2010 the participants were in their seventies.

Professor William Henley, from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “Previous studies have shown that the children of centenarians tend to live longer with less heart disease, but this is the first robust evidence that the children of longer-lived parents are also less likely to get cancer. We also found that they are less prone to diabetes or suffering a stroke. These protective effects are passed on from parents who live beyond 65 – far younger than shown in previous studies, which have looked at those over the age of 80. Obviously children of older parents are not immune to contracting cancer or any other diseases of ageing, but our evidence shows that rates are lower. We also found that this inherited resistance to age-related diseases gets stronger the older their parents lived.”

Ambarish Dutta, who worked on the project at the University of Exeter Medical School and is now at the Asian Institute of Public Health at the Ravenshaw University in India, said: “Interestingly from a nature versus nurture perspective, we found no evidence that these health advantages are passed on from parents-in-law. Despite being likely to share the same environment and lifestyle in their married lives, spouses had no health benefit from their parents-in-law reaching a ripe old age. If the findings resulted from cultural or lifestyle factors, you might expect these effects to extend to husbands and wives in at least some cases, but there was no impact whatsoever.”

In analysing the data, the team made adjustments for sex, race, smoking, wealth, education, body mass index, and childhood socioeconomic status. They also excluded results from those whose parents died prematurely (ie mothers who died younger than 61 or fathers younger than 46).

The study could not look at the various sub groups of cancer, as numbers did not allow accurate estimates. This study was carried out in preparation for a more detailed analysis of factors explaining why some people seem to age more slowly than others. Future work will use the UK Biobank, which analyses a cohort of 500,000 participants.

Source: Press Release, Eureka Alerts
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Processed meat linked to premature death

Photo:antpkr

In a huge study of half a million men and women, research in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine demonstrates an association between processed meat and cardiovascular disease and cancer.

One of the difficulties in measuring the effect of eating meat on health is the confounding effect of lifestyle on health. Often vegetarians have healthier lifestyles than the general population, they are less likely to smoke, are less fat, and are more likely to be physically active. Only within a very large study can the consequences of eating meat and processed meat be isolated from other lifestyle choices.

This EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study involved ten countries and 23 centres in Europe and almost half a million people. In general a diet high in processed meat was linked to other unhealthy choices. Men and women who ate the most processed meat ate the fewest fruit and vegetables and were more likely to smoke. Men who ate a lot of meat also tended to have a high alcohol consumption.

A person's risk of premature death (increased risk of all cause mortality) increased with the amount of processed meat eaten. This is also true after correcting for confounding variables, although residual confounding cannot be excluded. However, a small amount of red meat appeared to be beneficial which the researchers suggest is because meat is an important source of nutrients and vitamins.

Prof Sabine Rohrmann, from the University of Zurich, who led this analysis explained, "Risks of dying earlier from cancer and cardiovascular disease also increased with the amount of processed meat eaten. Overall, we estimate that 3% of premature deaths each year could be prevented if people ate less than 20g processed meat per day."

Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, sandwich meat, packaged ham, pepperoni and salami.
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Researchers discover how to shutdown cancer's powerful master protein

The powerful master regulatory transcription factor called Bcl6 is key to the survival of a majority of aggressive lymphomas, which arise from the B-cells of the immune system. The protein has long been considered too complex to target with a drug since it is also crucial to the healthy functioning of many immune cells in the body, not just B cells gone bad.

But now, in the journal Nature Immunology, researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College report that it is possible to shut down Bcl6 in the cancer, known as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), while not affecting its vital function in T cells and macrophages that are needed to support a healthy immune system.

"The finding comes as a very welcome surprise," says the study's lead investigator, Dr. Ari Melnick, Gebroe Family Professor of Hematology/Oncology and director of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical and Physical Sciences at Weill Cornell.

"This means the drugs we have developed against Bcl6 are more likely to be significantly less toxic and safer for patients with this cancer than we realized," says Dr. Melnick, who is also a hematologist-oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

If Bcl6 is completely inhibited, patients might suffer from systemic inflammation and atherosclerosis. Weill Cornell researchers conducted this new study to help clarify possible risks, as well as to understand how Bcl6 controls the various aspects of the immune system.

DLBCL is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma -- the seventh most frequently diagnosed cancer -- and many of these patients are resistant to currently available treatments.

"Scientists have been searching for the right answer to treat this difficult lymphoma, which, after initial treatment, can be at high risk of relapse and resistant to current therapies," Dr. Melnick says. "Believing that Bcl6 could not be targeted, some researchers have been testing alternative therapeutic approaches. This study strongly supports the notion of using Bcl6-targeting drugs."

In fact, the findings in this study were inspired from preclinical testing of two Bcl6-targeting agents that Dr. Melnick and his Weill Cornell colleagues have developed to treat DLBCLs. These experimental drugs are RI-BPI, a peptide mimic, and the small molecule agent 79-6.

Dr. Melnick says the discovery that a master regulatory transcription factor can be targeted offers implications beyond just treating DLBCL. Recent studies from Dr. Melnick and others have revealed that Bcl6 plays a key role in the most aggressive forms of acute leukemia, as well as certain solid tumors.

Transcription factors are responsible for either inhibiting or promoting the expression of genes, and master regulatory transcription factors are the equivalent of the CPU of a computer – their actions regulate thousands of genes in different kinds of cells. For example, Bcl6 can control the type of immune cell that develops in the bone marrow -- playing many roles in the development of B cells, T cells, macrophages and other cells -- including a primary and essential role in enabling B-cells to generate specific antibodies against pathogens.

"When cells lose control of Bcl6, lymphomas develop in the immune system. Lymphomas are 'addicted' to Bcl6, and therefore Bcl6 inhibitors powerfully and quickly destroy lymphoma cells," Dr. Melnick says.

The big surprise in the current study is that rather than functioning as a single molecular machine, Bcl6 instead seems to function more like a Swiss Army knife, using different tools to control different cell types. This multi-function paradigm could represent a general model for the functioning of other master regulatory transcription factors.

"In this analogy, the Swiss Army knife, or transcription factor, keeps most of its tools folded, opening only the one it needs in any given cell type," Dr. Melnick says. "For B cells, it might open and use the knife tool; for T cells, the cork screw; for macrophages, the scissors. The amazing thing from a medical standpoint is that this means that you only need to prevent the master regulator from using certain tools to treat cancer. You don't need to eliminate the whole knife," he says. "In fact, we show that taking out the whole knife is harmful since the transcription factor has many other vital functions that other cells in the body need."

Prior to these study results, it was not known that a master regulator could separate its functions so precisely.

"Now we know we can take out a specific tool -- to shut down a specific part of the protein -- that causes the disease we want to treat."

Researchers hope this will be a major benefit to the treatment of DLBCL and perhaps other disorders that are influenced by Bcl6 and other master regulatory transcription factors.

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Study shows alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of cancer death in the US

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Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) have shown that alcohol is a major contributor to cancer deaths and years of potential life lost. These findings, published in the April 2013 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, also show that reducing alcohol consumption is an important cancer prevention strategy as alcohol is a known carcinogen even when consumed in small quantities.

Previous studies consistently have shown that alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver. More recent research has shown that alcohol also increases the risk of cancers of the colon, rectum and female breast. While estimates have shown that alcohol accounts for about four percent of all cancer-related deaths worldwide, there is a lack of literature focusing on cancer-related deaths in the U.S.

Timothy Naimi, MD, MPH, from the Department of Medicine at BUSM and colleagues from the National Cancer Institute, the Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, examined recent data from the U.S. on alcohol consumption and cancer mortality. They found that alcohol resulted in approximately 20,000 cancer deaths annually, accounting for about 3.5 percent of all cancer deaths in the U.S.

Breast cancer was the most common cause of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in women, accounting for approximately 6,000 deaths annually, or about 15 percent of all breast cancer deaths. Cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus were common causes of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality in men, resulting in a total of about 6,000 annual deaths.

The researchers also found that each alcohol-related cancer death accounted for an average of 18 years of potential life lost. In addition, although higher levels of alcohol consumption led to a higher cancer risk, average consumption of 1.5 drinks per day or less accounted for 30 percent of all alcohol-attributable cancer deaths.

"The relationship between alcohol and cancer is strong, but is not widely appreciated by the public and remains underemphasized even by physicians," said Naimi, who served as the paper's senior author. "Alcohol is a big preventable cancer risk factor that has been hiding in plain sight."

Image: freedigitalimages.net

Protect children from thirdhand smoke: Pediatrician

No smoke is good smoke when it comes to children.

It’s not enough to go outside to smoke when there are young children in the home, experts warn.

According to pediatricians, even after a cigarette is extinguished and the secondhand smoke has disappeared, smoke chemicals and particles linger on surfaces, materials, clothing and hair.

This “thirdhand” smoke poses a significant risk to children and pets.

Recently released information from the Philip Morris Company presented clear evidence that a highly toxic and cancer-causing substance known as 4-(methylnitrosamino)-I-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is present for hours after a cigarette has been smoked.

The chemicals and particles remain in the air as well as on surfaces and in household dust, where they can be inhaled or ingested by infants and young children.

A recent study revealed that 18 percent of children (32 million children) are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. When children were tested for cotinine, a by-product of nicotine exposure from secondhand or thirdhand smoke exposure, more than half (54%) of children had detectable levels.

Health effects of secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure

Tobacco smoke can be extremely detrimental to children’s health. Secondhand smoke exposure has been linked to

• Asthma
• Sudden infant death syndrome
• Dental cavities
• Ear, sinus and lung infections
• Developmental delays
• Sleep problems
• Poor school performance
• Higher risk of becoming a smoker, too

Most parents know that their smoking is harmful to their children, but it can be very difficult to quit. Experts recommend taking advantage of all the help there is, including talking to your doctors, leaning on supportive family members, quit lines and more.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Air purifiers for tobacco smoke toxins

The 5000 DS air purifier
can handle tobacco smoke
odors, chemicals and particles.

Lingering odors, particles and chemicals from tobacco smoke is not only dangerous for children, it can also be a major irritant to the home’s occupants and visitors.

Opening windows to increase ventilation is a good step toward better air quality, but commonly used gimmicks such as incense and air freshening products only add to the toxic chemical load in the air.

A sure-fire way to remove harmful chemicals, particles and odors from the ambient is with the help of an AllerAir air purifier that is specifically designed for tobacco smoke.

The 5000 DS and similar air purifiers feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals, odors and fumes, a HEPA filter for fine particles and a tar-trapping pre-filter to prevent clogging. Other features and options are available.

Contact AllerAir for more information.

Did you ever have to deal with tobacco smoke odors and what worked for you? Let us know!

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Radon gas: The hidden health risk in the home

Radon levels can vary greatly from one house
to the next, experts say.

Health officials in North America have been ringing the alarm bells over radon for years – the colorless and odorless radioactive gas is difficult to detect, but it may be present in thousands of homes.

People know about the risks of tobacco smoke when it comes to lung cancer, but radon doesn’t get nearly as much publicity and public awareness, experts warn.

And this, even though radon exposure is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

What is radon?

Radon occurs naturally in the soil and it can enter homes through cracks and openings in the foundation and the house itself. With so many homes being more energy efficient and airtight, it can build up indoors to dangerous levels.

In fact, the risk of dying of lung cancer because of radon in your home is one out of 50, the experts say.

In some regions, radon may be more prevalent than in other areas, and lung cancer rates often reflect that.

Testing for radon

Radon testing is recommended for every home – and it is very easy and inexpensive. Radon levels can vary greatly from one house to the next, so a neighbor’s results do not reflect one’s own risks.

Testing for radon takes about three months to get a good average, and health officials recommend retesting every two years since radon levels depends on the soil conditions and the pressure in the home and can fluctuate a lot over time.

Home renovation projects can change the pressure in a home as well, so radon testing should be done after the work is completed.

Source: WSIL3 ABC News

Radon and other indoor air hazards

Radon and other indoor air pollutants can be mitigated with better ventilation, certain home improvement projects and air cleaning systems.

AllerAir has developed portable and powerful air purifiers with activated carbon and HEPA that can help reduce exposure to chemicals, gases, fumes, odors, dust, particles, allergens, bacteria, viruses and mold.

The multistage filtration system offers the most relevant filtration media at the best price – guaranteed (ask about the guarantee when speaking to an AllerAir IAQ expert or when placing your order).

AllerAir’s air purifiers are powerful general purpose air cleaners, and they can be equipped with special features and options to address specific air quality concerns such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mold, allergy and asthma, multiple chemical sensitivities, tobacco smoke and more.

Contact AllerAir for more information.

Children exposed to mothball chemicals at risk of cancer

Chromosomal damage shown after exposure to common pollutant naphthalene

Children may be exposed to naphthalene through traffic
exhaust, mothball fumes, smoke, paint and more.

Naphthalene is a common air pollutant that may have damaging effects in children.

Exposure to high levels of naphthalene is linked to a higher risk for chromosomal aberrations (CAs), which in turn have been associated with cancer, according to researchers from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) and other scientists.

One of the primary sources of naphthalene is from household mothball fumes, but children may also be exposed through automotive exhaust and tobacco smoke. Even paint fumes, cooking and heating have been identified as sources.

Naphthalene belongs to a class of air pollutants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and has been classified as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Cancer Research.

The researchers followed 113 five-year-old children that are participating in a larger cohort study in New York City and assessed their exposure to naphthalene from urine samples.

They also measured chromosomal aberrations and translocations in the children. The researchers will keep following the children to get a better sense of the long-term consequences of naphthalene exposure.

However, the study already shows how vulnerable children are to carcinogenic air pollutants, the senior author says.

The study’s findings are published in the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Source: Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health

Air purifiers for cleaner, healthier indoor air

AllerAir's activated carbon + HEPA
air purifiers.

When it comes to young children and other vulnerable groups, a clean indoor environment will go a long way in reducing exposure to harmful pollutants and carcinogens.

We all spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors, yet many indoor environments are still marred by indoor air pollution.

Choosing healthier and more natural products and materials, making sure that the home is well ventilated and the right type of air purification will help provide cleaner and healthier air.

AllerAir offers portable and powerful air purifiers for the home and office that feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter and HEPA filtration as well as optional UV germicidal lamps to remove airborne chemicals, gases, odors, fumes, particles, dust, allergens, mold, bacteria and viruses.

With one of the most extensive product lines on the market, AllerAir has a personalized and specialized unit for virtually any indoor air concern.

From general purpose units to whole home air purifiers and chemical and odor air purifiers with specialized types of carbon, contact AllerAir to find the right unit for your needs.
  

Commuting to work? Diesel emissions increase cancer risk

This is a guest post from Electrocorp.

Diesel exhaust emissions can affect your
health and well-being, experts say.

Exposure to diesel fumes could be causing cancer at a greater rate than previously known, researchers say.

A new long-term study by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that miners exposed to diesel engine exhaust are three times more likely to contract fatal lung cancer, and that commuters on busy highways in smoggy, urban areas might face a similar risk.

The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

While diesel exhaust is currently classified as a “probable carcinogen”, health authorities will review this classification in the months to come.

A change in classifications could mean tighter regulations as well.

The study looked at 20 years of data on miners exposed to diesel exhaust and showed significant increases in the risk of lung cancer deaths with higher level of exposures, especially in miners working more than 5 years.

The study authors warn of the risks to Americans living in urban areas as well, although the risk is lower for lower doses of diesel exhaust.

Drivers getting stuck on long highway commutes may be exposed more than people standing on the sidewalk because of wind tunnel effect, experts say.

Commuters can help protect themselves by

• Leaving car windows closed on busy highways and streets
• Setting the air on “recirculate” to keep pollutants out
• Having a HEPA filter installed in the car

Newer diesel cars are much cleaner than older models, experts say, but many older models are still being used on the streets.

Source: The Sun

Want to know more about indoor air pollution and portable air purifiers that can remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants? Contact AllerAir for more information and personalized suggestions.

Cleaning experts tout natural alternatives

Cleaning products found on store shelves often
contain harmful chemicals and toxins.

It’s March, and that means spring cleaning is just around the corner!

But if your arsenal of cleaning products includes a variety of store-bought products, you could be putting your health at risk.

Many household cleaners on store shelves today contain toxic ingredients and volatile organic compounds that have been linked to health problems in humans.

According to the EPA, chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than air pollution. Most people spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors and cleaning is a regular part of household duties.

Thankfully, there are many available alternatives, which are not only safer but also often much less expensive.

However, beware of traditional products jumping onto the green bandwagon and making claims that are suspect or downright false.

Third-party certifications or a look at the manufacturers; data sheets will provide some reliable answers – or homeowners can make their own cleaning solutions.

Homemade cleaners do not have preservatives, so it’s better to make small batches and use them up quickly.

Use sponges or washable rags when cleaning – it’s much more environmentally friendly than paper towels and single-use cleaning pads.

Here are some cleaning agents that are non-toxic, effective and easily available:

• Baking soda: Fights odors and can be used as a scrubbing paste
• Vinegar: Natural cleaner and disinfectant; the smell disappears after a few minutes
• Castile soap: Foaming cleaner
• Olive oil: Great for polishing wood furniture and picking up dust
• Lemon juice: Grease fighter, disinfectant, fresh smell

Source: The Journal Sentinel

Reduce airborne chemicals with air purifiers

Toxic cleaning products are not the only sources of potentially harmful chemicals in the home.

Other household items can
contribute to indoor air pollution.

Common building materials, paints, furniture, air fresheners, dry-cleaned clothes and other products can emit chemicals and volatile organic compounds.

A high-quality air purifier with activated carbon and other filters can help keep the air clean and healthy. Activated carbon is the safest and most effective filtration media for the removal of airborne chemicals and VOCs, odors and fumes.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for the home and office contain not only the largest activated carbon filters but also HEPA filters, pre-filters and optional UV germicidal filtration to trap and neutralize particles, dust, bacteria, viruses and mold as well.

Contact AllerAir for more information and more options.
  

January is National Radon Action Month – Get your home tested

The invisible, odorless killer: Radon contributes to 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year

Any home can have readings of high radon levels, officials say.

Health officials everywhere want to get the message out - radon can kill you, so make sure you test your home and take action if necessary.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is produced by the decay of uranium in soil and water, and it can enter houses through cracks and fissures in the home’s foundation or exterior.

It often gets trapped indoors and can build up to potentially dangerous levels.

Exposure to high levels of radon is especially harmful for people who smoke because it increases their already high risk of developing lung cancer.

The only way to know whether a home is safe is to test, experts say.

The test is not expensive and requires a small detector being placed in the basement or the ground floor of a home for about three months. It will give you an accurate idea of the level of radon in the home (a period of three months is suggested because the levels can go up and down).

• Radon levels outdoors: About 0.4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L)
• Average U.S. home: 1.3 pCi/L of radon
• Unsafe radon levels according to EPA: readings above 4 pCi/L

Homeowners can install pipes in the basement to vent air outside, or do other types of repairs to prevent radon from entering the home.

Some areas may have a higher chance of radon, but the readings can vary from home to home and from region to region.

Source: Delaware Online

Improve indoor air quality with air purifiers

More manufacturers are incorporating an activated carbon filter in addition to the standard HEPA filter.

This extra level of filtration is proving to be a vital component for maintaining good air quality.

According to an extensive study of the air in nearly 50,000 American homes, 70% were found to have high levels of airborne chemical pollutants and gases.

An activated carbon filter is one of the only safe and proven filtration methods for removing airborne chemicals, gases and odors.

To be effective, an activated carbon filter should be several inches thick and use granular activated carbon.

The AllerAir 5000 Exec for general air filtration features 18 lbs. of granular activated carbon in a 2.5” filter, in addition to medical-grade HEPA filter for particles.

For more information, contact AllerAir.

Lifestyle a huge factor when it comes to cancer

Almost half of all new cancer diagnoses can be blamed on
poor lifestyle choices, a UK report says.

The Cancer Research UK report says more than 40 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the UK each year are caused by avoidable life choices such as smoking, drinking and eating badly, according to a recent BBC article.

Tobacco tops the list of bad choices, followed by a lack of fruits and vegetable for men and being overweight for women.

The researchers behind the report say it shows that people can do more to help prevent cancer and not blame it on genes or bad luck.

Among the common-sense lifestyle changes the experts recommend:

• Stop smoking
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• Reduce alcohol consumption
• Watch your weight
• Exercise regularly

Leading a healthy lifestyle does not guarantee that there won’t be any cancer, but it stacks the odds in your favor, experts say.

One in 25 of cancers is linked to a person's job, such as being exposed to chemicals or asbestos, the report says.

Researchers and cancer experts are asking the government to make a healthy lifestyle a public health issue.

Reduce your exposure to indoor air pollution

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is a great idea – and so is reducing your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and gases as well as other pollutants.

Activated carbon is the best filter
media to remove gaseous pollutants.

An air purifier with many pounds of activated carbon and HEPA plus UV germicidal filtration (optional) can help keep the air clean.

For lingering odors such as stale tobacco smoke, check out our popular 5000 DS or DXS model. If you are worried about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be emitted from common household products, then consider one of our Vocarb models.

For more information and a phone consultation, contact AllerAir.

Radon and smoking – two factors for lung cancer

Smoking is bad enough, but if you also breathe in high levels
of radon at home, your risk of lung cancer increases even more.

If you are smoking, you know the risk. But often people don’t know that they have high radon levels in their home, which increases their risk of developing lung cancer (and some forms of skin cancer, as a new study shows).

Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment and that can accumulate in a home after entering it through cracks and fissures in the foundation. Even new homes can have elevated radon levels.

Experts say people can test their homes for radon quite easily and reduce levels of radon with a few relatively inexpensive renovations.

A heavy smoker has a one-in-10 chance of developing lung cancer. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon results in a one-in-20 chance of developing lung cancer.

Both exposures increase the odds substantially to a one-in-three chance, Health Canada says.

The experts shared the following tips:

• Test your home for radon. The winter months are a good time to place the small detector in the basement, if you spend around 4 hours per day there, or on the ground floor. Send it to the lab after three months.
• Seal cracks in the foundation
• Put a cap on the sump pump
• In a home with very high levels of radon, you can install a special pipe and venting system that pumps air outside (active soil depressurization)

You can also use an air purifier with activated carbon and HEPA to help keep the air clean.

Source: The Daily Gleaner

Complete air purifiers for homes and offices

AllerAir develops complete air purifiers for the home and office with a multistage filtration system that contains many pounds of activated carbon, HEPA and UV.

Together, these air filters can remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants, including

1. chemicals, gases, VOCs, fumes 
   
2. particles, dust, allergens 
   
3. bacteria, viruses and mold.

Contact AllerAir for more information.

Researchers discover link between radon and skin cancer

The indoor air quality in many North American homes
is affected by radon and other contaminants.

Radon, the naturally occurring radioactive gas that can build up in people’s homes, has been identified as a leading cause of lung cancer before – and now a study shows it may also have other health effects.

A new study suggests that a link may exist between radon exposure and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Researchers from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health (part of the Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry) have detected a connection following analysis of data on radon exposure and skin cancer cases from across southwest England.

The link was not evident in the development of malignant melanoma, the most common form of skin cancer, but it was found between areas where high radon concentrations are found and a particular type of non-melanoma skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma.

"We know that naturally occurring radon is a contributing factor to a small proportion of lung cancers, but there is limited evidence of other health implications,” says the study’s lead author Dr. Ben Wheeler.

“These findings suggest that the issue of radon and skin cancer deserves a much closer look and we're planning to develop a more detailed study capable of detecting a direct relationship, if one actually exists.”

Health effects of radon exposure

Radon exposure has been linked to
lung cancer and now skin cancer.

EPA estimates that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are radon-related.  Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. 

According to EPA, two studies show definitive evidence of an association between residential radon exposure and lung cancer.

“These findings effectively end any doubts about the risks to Americans of having radon in their homes,” said Tom Kelly, Former Director of EPA’s Indoor Environments Division.  “We know that radon is a carcinogen.  This research confirms that breathing low levels of radon can lead to lung cancer.”

EPA recommends homes be fixed if the radon level is 4 pCi/L (pico Curies per Liter) or more. Because there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, EPA also recommends that Americans consider fixing their home for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L.

Indoor air quality at home

Radon is just one of many contaminants that can lead to poor indoor air quality and health effects.

Most North American homes, especially those with airtight construction and poor ventilation, suffer from indoor air contaminants such as chemicals and gases (like VOCs from cleaning agents, fragrances and building materials), particles and dust, mold, bacteria and viruses.

Using low-VOC products, natural cleaning agents and increasing ventilation all help to improve indoor air quality, but another easy and effective solution is a powerful home or office air purifier with activated carbon + HEPA.

AllerAir air purifiers

AllerAir’s portable air purifiers can remove the widest range of pollutants with its multistage filtration system.

The deep-bed activated carbon filter removes many gases, odors, chemicals and fumes, while the medical-grade or micro-HEPA traps tiny particles and pathogens. Pre-filters take care of larger particles and dust and protect the other filters’ lifespan.

For general purpose air purifiers or specialized units like MCS, Allergy and Asthma, Odor and Chemical Control, Mold and Tobacco Smoke, visit our website or contact AllerAir directly: 888-852-8247.  
  

The link between chemicals, air pollution and cancer

Researchers are studying lifestyle factors
and chemical exposure as cancer risks.

Cancer incidence is on the rise – and cancer might even surpass heart disease as the world’s leading cause of death, the World Health Organization says.

According to HealthNewsDigest.com, cancer is the only major cause of death that has continued to rise since 1900.

Trying to explain the cause, researchers are increasingly turning to environmental factors as worthy study objects.

A 240-page report based on hundreds of other studies entitled “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now” placed part of the blame to our exposure to chemicals, pollution and radiation.

According to the report, 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives and 21 percent are likely to die from it.

Numerous studies have linked chemical exposure to a higher risk of cancer, but the medical community is nevertheless divided since it is so difficult to establish a clear link between exposure to certain chemicals and serious health effects later on.

Personal lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol intake and overexposure to sunlight (read sunburns) certainly play a role, but no one can deny that our reliance on chemicals and the effect on public health warrant a closer look.

Remove airborne chemicals and gases with activated carbon

Most commercial air purifiers only feature a HEPA filter for particle and pathogen control, but these filters are unable to remove chemicals, odors and gases.

The best filtration media for gaseous pollutants is activated carbon.

AllerAir specializes in air purifiers with many pounds of activated carbon (+HEPA) that can remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

Contact us for more information.