Relentless Ddt

THOUGH BANNED IN THE U.S. IN 1972, DDT IS NOT forgotten. Soluble in fat, the insecticide leaves trace amounts that can linger for decades in human tissue. Now a study published by the National Cancer Institute suggests that these residual effects may be deadly. Researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and New York University have found that the greater the exposure to DDT the higher the risk of breast cancer for women.

The scientists measured the pesticide residue in blood samples taken from 58 women in whom breast cancer had recently been discovered. Then they analyzed the blood of 171 women who had similar medical histories but no cancer. On average, the cancer patients had 35% more residue in their blood. Although the results are preliminary, the team believes that the association between DDT and breast cancer bears further investigation.