Breast Cancer link to Deodorants Dismissed
January 13, 2004 (heraldsun.news.com.au)

ALARMING claims linking deodorant to breast cancer have been dismissed by the Cancer Council Victoria.

An English breast cancer specialist urged women to cut down or ditch deodorants and anti-perspirants, claiming they could cause tumours.
Dr Phillippa Darbre, from the University of Reading, found chemicals called parabens, used as preservatives in the underarm products, in cancerous breast tumours.

"My advice is to cut down or cut out," Dr Darbre said. "I used anti-perspirants myself until eight years ago and I never use them now and wonder why I ever did."

But Cancer Council Victoria breast cancer committee chairman Stewart Hart said no one had ever found convincing evidence for the long-rumoured link.

The breast cancer surgeon said he was unswayed by the pleas for women to ditch the hygiene products.

"I think that's rubbish," he said.