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Atrazine: An Environmental Endocrine Disruptor That Alters Mammary Gland Development and Tumor Susceptibility

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Environment and Breast Cancer

Abstract

Atrazine, a widely used chlorotriazine herbicide, has been regulated and reviewed because of its ability to alter endocrine signaling and cause mammary tumors in female Sprague–Dawley rats. The ability of atrazine to cause breast cancer in humans has been studied and the results are equivocal. Rodent studies showed that atrazine alters the developing mammary gland, makes it susceptible to tumorigenesis or hyperplasia, alters lactational ability, and decreases weight gain in second-generation litters. This chapter reviews the proposed mode of action for mammary tumorigenesis in rodents, results of human studies, and potential modes of action for atrazine effects on the developing mammary gland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toxicology and Hazard Assessment Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    Jennifer L. Rayner

  2. National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA

    Suzanne E. Fenton

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  1. Jennifer L. Rayner
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  2. Suzanne E. Fenton
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Correspondence to Suzanne E. Fenton .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lab. Breast Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Burholme Avenue 7701, Philadelphia, 19111, Pennsylvania, USA

    Jose Russo

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Rayner, J.L., Fenton, S.E. (2011). Atrazine: An Environmental Endocrine Disruptor That Alters Mammary Gland Development and Tumor Susceptibility. In: Russo, J. (eds) Environment and Breast Cancer. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9896-5_9

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