Associations between Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure and Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants that may cause breast cancer. However, associations between exposure to PFASs and the risk of breast cancer are controversial. We retrieved studies on the association between PFASs—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)—and breast cancer risk in women from PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) or relative risks (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted or calculated from provided data. Moreover, subgroup and metaregression analyses were performed to distinguish the potential sources of heterogeneity between studies. Lastly, eight original studies were included in the meta-analysis. PFOA and PFHxS were positively correlated with breast cancer risk, and the pooled ORs (and 95% CIs) were 1.32 (1.19 and 1.46) and 1.79 (1.51 and 2.11), respectively. PFNA was negatively correlated with breast cancer risk and the pooled OR (and 95% CIs) was 0.76 (0.6 and 0.96), and PFOS was shown to have no correlation with breast cancer risk and the pooled OR (and 95% CIs) was 1.01 (0.87 and 1.17). All results were merged in a random-effects model with significant heterogeneities (I2 > 90%, p < 0.001). The results demonstrated that PFASs might be potential risk factors for breast cancer, and the compounds in low exposure levels could have a more harmful impact on human health.