A report from US government health agencies is calling for more resources to target prevention of breast cancer. Compiled by the Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Coordinating Committee (IBCERCC), the report notes that most cases of breast cancer “occur in people with no family history,” suggesting that “environmental factors – broadly defined – must play a major role in the aetiology of the disease.” The committee recommends that researchers prioritise “chemicals that are produced in high volumes for which there is biologically plausible evidence of their role in the development of breast cancer.”

Breast cancer and the environment: Prioritising prevention, IBCERCC, 2013. Breast Cancer Fund news release. Center for Public Integrity report. New York Times. Risks 593,.