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Our lives lead to cancer
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Philippa Darbrey, a biochemist at one of the leading British universities, remembers well the moment when she gave up using all her toiletries and sent them to the dump. Philippa heard a student express a common opinion among the people that deodorants can provoke the development of cancerous tumors. At that moment, Professor Darbrey became interested in this opinion and decided to check whether breast tissue contained a preservative that is added to almost all modern deodorants. According to the manufacturers, the substance used was completely harmless to human health and did not penetrate deep tissues. Like most supporters of official medicine, Philippa was skeptical and was sure that the development of cancer was not at all associated with the use of deodorants and other cosmetics.
However, studies have shown that the preservative was present in breast tissue, and Philipa Darbrey was the first to prove this scientifically.
As Helen Rumbelow (a columnist for a British daily) writes, over the past decade, breast cancer has been increasingly diagnosed among young women (under 50 years of age), and experts are asking whether this is due to improved diagnostics, the tendency towards obesity in the modern generation, or there are other explanations for this.
Nowadays, chemicals are used almost everywhere, especially parabens (preservatives, present in many cosmetics), phthalates (make surfaces smooth, used in nail polish, liquid soap, shower curtains, etc.), bisphenol (makes plastic stronger, used in the production of bottles, metal cans, etc.).
According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chemicals were found in the urine of nearly 100% of the population, with women's urine containing higher levels of phthalates and parabens (which are found in skin care products and perfumes).
According to Helen, this does not mean that one should go to extremes and refuse modern cosmetics, since scientists have not yet proven that these substances can provoke the development of a tumor. As studies have shown, both phthalates and parabens have a weak effect on hormonal levels (as is known, breast cancer is hormone-dependent).
The chemicals affect estrogen levels, albeit to a small extent, and scientists suspect that they may affect the development of cancers linked to estrogen levels, such as prostate and breast cancer.
Oncologist William Goodson, who together with his colleagues studied the effect of chemicals in small doses on the development of cancerous tumors, noted that the connection between cancer and chemicals will never be proven; at the moment, no one has conducted research on whether a mixture of chemicals in the same cream can cause an oncological process, while it is known that these same chemicals, taken separately, cannot provoke cancer.
In an interview with Rumbelow, the scientist noted that he and his family do not consume food or water in plastic packaging, do not eat farmed fish, and when filling up his car, he tries to face the wind.
According to Professor David Capenter, who also took part in the interview, some experts are of the opinion that if a substance does not affect DNA, it is not capable of causing the growth of a malignant tumor, but the available data, although insufficient to draw specific conclusions, cannot be ignored. According to Capenter, everyone needs to think about how many pesticides are used in everyday life, for example, when applying nail polish, no one uses good ventilation so as not to inhale harmful fumes (ideally, it would be done under a fan).
Filipa Darbrey also noted the fire-retardant spray that is required by law to be applied to furniture, according to research, the substance from the spray is in the blood of 97% of people, with particularly high levels recorded in teenagers. Research shows that this substance also affects hormone levels.
Filipa herself believes that it is necessary to limit the use of body care products as much as possible. For example, she uses shampoo, regular solid soap, but has given up moisturizing creams and deodorants.