Effect of pesticides on breast cancer tumor
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that chronic exposure to pesticides, many of which act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, represents a significant and underappreciated determinant for both cancer origin and progression. In this review, we reported the most recent epidemiological data, exposure pathways, and mechanistic insights linking major pesticide classes, including persistent organochlorines, organophosphates, triazines, carbamates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and glyphosate-based herbicides, to breast carcinogenesis. These compounds are ubiquitous, detectable in food, water, household dust, and occupational environments, and display high lipophilicity that enables long-term bioaccumulation in adipose-rich breast tissue. Therefore, recognition of pesticides as modifiable environmental determinants of breast cancer should prompt strengthened regulation, improved biomonitoring, and public-health strategies aimed at reducing chronic exposure.
Authors
- Rita Bonfiglio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4172-2977)
- Alfonso Baldi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8693-3842)
- Valeria Palumbo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7756-6676)
- Francesca Servadei (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2619-9153)
- Michele Treglia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9434-2604)
- Stefano Palomba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2767-8295)
- Gerry Melino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9428-5972)
- Flavia Botti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7266-1014)
- Daniele Marcoccia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0883-4184)
- Giovanni Brajon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3411-4730)
- Manuel Scimeca (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0585-1309)
- Yufang Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8964-319X)
- Eleonora Candi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8332-4825)
- Alessandro Mauriello (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7351-5676)
- Luigi Tonino Marsella (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9471-3436)
- Flavia Silvia Galli
Institutions
- University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT)
- Soochow University (CN)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Roma Tor Vergata (IT)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Biology Direct
- Published
- 2025-12-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13062-025-00709-9
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.20