According to a new report issued by the President’s Cancer Panel, exposure to contaminants, particularly mixtures of chemicals, in the environment may have a more significant impact on cancer risk than previously thought.

Exposure to environmental pollution can lead to the accumulation of toxic chemicals in humans and the food chain. This new report, called ‘Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now’, highlights that many of the nearly 80,000 chemicals currently on the market in the United States are unregulated and have not been studied with regard to their effects on cancer risk. The President’s Cancer Panel expressed concern that, in spite of the growing body of scientific evidence linking environmental exposures to cancer, the real impact of environmental cancer has been underestimated.

The President’s Cancer Panel report has been received with mixed reviews medical experts and organizations. While some physicians believe that the increasing number of known or suspected environmental carcinogens warrants action to reduce or eliminate these exposures, others are concerned that this report overstates the risk of environmentally-induced cancer.

Although environmental pollution is important to human health, it is important to keep in mind the cancer risk associated with known causes of cancer such as tobacco, obesity, alcohol, and infections. These modifiable cancer risk factors still offer the biggest opportunity in preventing cancer. However, the President’s Cancer Panel has issued a call to action, urging a precautionary, rather than reactionary, approach to regulating and reducing exposure to potential environmental toxins.