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Does Shellfish Intake Lead To Endometrial Carcinoma?
It is a scary thought that excessive consumption of some otherwise healthy and highly nutritious foods can also lead to infertility. According to a new research, excessive intake of seafoods like shellfish is associated with an increased risk of developing certain cancers.
Details Of The Study
According to the results of a new study that was published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, investigators reported the findings of their 5-year observational study that was conducted on 631 women who were living with a history of endometrial malignancy and 879 normal women without any history of cancer.
All study subjects participated in a survey comprising of 200 questions regarding lifestyle habits and potential
exposure to a variety of risk factors. In addition, all study participants also underwent urine and saliva analysis for the quantification of cadmium levels in the blood.
After thorough analysis and long duration of watchful observation, team of investigators concluded that:
- Foods like shellfish are high in metals like Cadmium
- High intake of shellfish and other sources of Cadmium (such as liver, kidney, tobacco products, etc.) canaggravate the risk of Cadmium deposition in tissues; thereby leading to infertility
- Toxic levels of Cadmium are also associated with a 22% increased risk of developing endometrial cancer – the 4th common malignancy in women of reproductive age group
How Does Cadmium Exposure Lead To Endometrial Carcinoma?
Research and clinical data indicates that Cadmium acts as an estrogenic agent inside the biological tissues. It is no surprise that there is a very strong association between estrogen exposure and risk of developing endometrial carcinoma. According to latest statistics reported by American Cancer Society, more than 61,000 new cases of uterine cancer will be diagnosed in the year 2017.
Certain healthy lifestyle choices can definitely help a great deal at reducing the risk of endometrial carcinoma associated with Cadmium exposure; for example:
- Tobacco exposure in the form of smoking can double the serum Cadmium concentration. Avoiding smoke exposure can reduce the risk of complications caused by Cadmium, and also minimize the risk of other health related issues that are caused by exposure to cigarette smoke such as asthma, coronary heart disease, lung cancer etc.
- Consume Cadmium rich foods like liver, kidney and shellfish in moderate doses.
- Women who are at risk of developing endometrial carcinoma such as females who have history of endometrial carcinoma in their first-degree relatives should watch for all the key symptoms; such as dysfunctional or abnormal uterine bleeding, abnormal menstrual cycles etc.
- If you are exposed to Cadmium due to your workplace or occupational setting, you should see your doctor at periodic intervals for laboratory assessment.
Limiting Cadmium exposure is also important for other reasons. For example, scientists have discovered a strong association between high Cadmium levels and risk of developing Ovarian as well as breast malignancy.
References
- Adams, S. V., Quraishi, S. M., Shafer, M. M., Passarelli, M. N., Freney, E. P., Chlebowski, R. T., ... & Newcomb, P. A. (2014). Dietary cadmium exposure and risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative. Environmental health perspectives, 122(6), 594.
- Adams, S. V., Quraishi, S. M., Shafer, M. M., Passarelli, M. N., Freney, E. P., Chlebowski, R. T., ... & Newcomb, P. A. (2014). Dietary cadmium exposure and risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative. Environmental health perspectives, 122(6), 594.
