Trending News Today: Timing of DDT Pesticide Exposure Linked to Breast Cancer Risk

Research indicates that a woman’s age at first exposure to the pesticide DDT may influence the timing of an increased risk of developing breast cancer, Reuters reported. According to the article, women exposed to DDT before age 14 were most likely to develop breast cancer before age 50 and before menopause. However, women exposed to DDT after infancy had a greater risk of developing the cancer later, at ages 50 to 54, the article reported. The researchers determined there was an approximately 40-year lag between first exposure and the window for an increased risk of a breast cancer diagnosis, according to the study.

A new study suggests that drugs containing trace amounts of some inactive ingredients may pose a risk of causing reactions in patients with allergies or intolerances to certain compounds, The Associated Press reported. According to the article, the study analyzed data on inactive ingredients of more than 42,000 prescriptions and OTC medications. Their findings showed that approximately 45% of medications contained small amounts of lactose, a third contained food dye associated with allergic reactions, and more than half contained at least 1 type of sugar that patients with irritable bowel syndrome are supposed to avoid. Additionally, a recent survey showed that 18% of manufacturers said that their medications contain gluten, the article reported.

US teens and young adults, aged 12 to 25 years old, are more likely to experience mental illness than their older counterparts in the millennial generation were at the same age, the Los Angeles Times reported. According to the article, researchers found that by 2017, just over 13% of Americans in this age group had symptoms consistent with an episode of major depression in the previous year, which is a 62% increase over 8 years. Additionally, between 2008 and 2017, suicides among young adults between the ages 18 and 25 years old grew as much as 56%, the article reported.