title: Antiperspirant use and the risk of breast cancer.
abstract: The rumor that antiperspirant use causes breast cancer continues to circulate the Internet. Although unfounded, there have been no published epidemiologic studies to support or refute this claim. This population-based case- control study investigated a possible relationship between use of products applied for underarm perspiration and the risk for breast cancer in women aged 20-74 years. Case patients (n = 813) were diagnosed between November 1992 and March 1995; control subjects (n = 793) were identified by random digit dialing and were frequency-matched by 5-year age groups. Product use information was obtained during an in-person interview. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by the use of conditional logistic regression. P values were determined with the Wald chi(2) test. All statistical tests were two-sided. The risk for breast cancer did not increase with any of the following activities: 1) antiperspirant (OR = 0.9; P =.23) or deodorant (OR = 1.2; P =.19) use; 2) product use among subjects who shaved with a blade razor; or 3) application of products within 1 hour of shaving (for antiperspirant, OR = 0.9 and P =.40; for deodorant, OR = 1.2 and P =.16). These findings do not support the hypothesis that antiperspirant use increases the risk for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. dmirick@fhcrc.org
authors.forename: Dana K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mirick
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003836:Deodorants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003836:Deodorants