Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 6

Written Answers. - Cancer Research.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

305 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the research, if any, brought to the attention of his Department which links mastalgia with consumption of poultry containing residues of exogenous oestrogens; if any link has been established between mastalgia and breast cancer; if he is sponsoring any research in this field; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9092/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Mastalgia – a non-specific term which means pain or tenderness in the breasts – is a very common symptom affecting most of the female population at some time in their lives. Some research studies have suggested that women with the specific condition, proliferative benign breast disease, which is one cause of mastalgia, may be at increased risk of breast cancer. However, there are many other causative factors for mastalgia and the great majority of these are benign disease conditions with no known association with cancer.

I have not been advised of any reference in the international medical literature which links mastalgia with consumption of poultry containing residues of exogenous oestrogens. Women who take exogenous oestrogens, for example, the oral contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy have been shown to have an increased breast cancer risk. If poultry contained appreciable levels of exogenous oestrogens, this would indicate a theoretical risk.

In Ireland and in the EU it is illegal to use oestogens in poultry feed. Testing for hormones in foods of animal origin is carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development as part of the national residue monitoring programme. The efficacy of this programme is monitored by the Food Safety Auth ority of Ireland which is keeping the matter under continuing review.

I am aware of a study that was carried out in the early 1990s that attempted to establish a possible association between mastalgia, smoking and dietary factors. I understand that the study involved a small number of women and the results were not published in the peer reviewed scientific literature. My Department is not sponsoring any research in this field.