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Friday March 31 2:29 PM ET

Bill would authorize study of environment - breast cancer link

WASHINGTON, Mar 31 (Reuters Health) -- Potential links between environmental

factors and breast cancer would be studied under legislation introduced

Wednesday by a bipartisan group of Senators and House members.

The ``Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act'' would authorize $30

million per year for 5 years for the National Institutes of Environmental

Health Sciences to establish up to eight ``centers of excellence'' to study

environmental risk factors for breast cancer

``Three out of four women diagnosed with breast cancer have no known risk

factors or family history,'' said Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), sponsor of the

House bill. Noting that many have wondered about potential environmental

triggers, she said, ''Sadly, there just has not been enough research on

these factors.''

Said Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), who introduced the bill in the Senate,

``For many years, scientists have researched the genetic variations that can

lead to breast cancer, but the environmental causes have largely been

ignored. The question we need to answer is: What environmental factors may

trigger the onset of breast cancer? Once these are determined, we might one

day be able to provide women with information about what environmental

factors they should avoid.''

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NE), Senate co-sponsor of the measure, agreed. ``This

bipartisan effort could help healthcare professionals around the country

treat breast cancer patients more effectively, and it may bring us close to

finding a cure.''

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000331/hl/hcc_28.html

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