Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2013 Dec;67(3):421-33.
doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2013.08.021. Epub 2013 Sep 8.

DDT/DDE and breast cancer: a meta-analysis

Susan Z Ingber  1 , Melanie C Buser, Hana R Pohl, Henry G Abadin, H Edward Murray, Franco Scinicariello
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

DDT/DDE and breast cancer: a meta-analysis

Susan Z Ingber et al. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

The biological basis for investigating dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) exposure and breast cancer risk stems from in vitro and animal studies indicating that DDT has estrogenic properties. The objective of this study was to update a meta-analysis from 2004 which found no association between dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and breast cancer. We searched PubMed and Web of Science for studies published through June 2012 assessing DDT/DDE exposure and breast cancer. Summary Odds Ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the prevalence of breast cancer in the highest versus the lowest exposed groups for DDT and DDE. Difference of means of exposure for cases versus controls was analyzed for DDT and DDE. From the 500 studies screened, 46 were included in the meta-analysis. Slightly elevated, but not statistically significant summary ORs were found for DDE (1.05; 95% CI: 0.93-1.18) and DDT (1.02; 95% CI: 0.92-1.13). Lipid adjusted difference of means analysis found a significantly higher DDE concentration in cases versus controls (11.30 ng/g lipid; p=0.01). No other difference of means analysis found significant relationships. The existing information does not support the hypothesis that exposure to DDT/DDE increases the risk of breast cancer in humans.

Keywords: Breast cancer; DDE; DDT; Meta-analysis; Systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1 –
Figure 1 –
Flow chart of study selection.
Figure 2 –
Figure 2 –
Odds Ratio analysis for DDE exposure and Breast Cancer
Figure 3 –
Figure 3 –
Odds Ratio analysis for breast cancer and DDE stratified by menopausal status.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. ATSDR. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 2002. Toxicological Profile for DDT, DDE, and DDD. - PubMed
    1. Ahmed MT, Loutfy N, et al. (2002). "Residue levels of DDE and PCBs in the blood serum of women in the Port Said region of Egypt." J Hazard Mater 89(1): 41–48. - PubMed
    1. Aronson KJ, Miller AB, et al. (2000). "Breast adipose tissue concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and other organochlorines and breast cancer risk." Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 9(1): 55–63. - PubMed
    1. Aubé M, Larochelle C and Ayotte P (2011). "Differential effects of a complex organochlorine mixture on the proliferation of breast cancer cell lines." Environmental Research 111: 337–347. - PubMed
    1. Bagga D, Anders KH, et al. (2000). "Organochlorine pesticide content of breast adipose tissue from women with breast cancer and control subjects." J Natl Cancer Inst 92(9): 750–753. - PubMed

Publication types

Substances