LAUSR

Association between antiperspirants containing aluminum and breast cancer remains controversial. 1,2 Topical antiperspirants containing alu minum chloride are often used for patients with axillary hyperhidrosis and in the general population for personal hygiene. 3 Aluminum is known to have a genotoxic profile, capable of causing both DNA alterations and epigenetic changes. Furthermore, aluminum in the form of alu minum chloride or aluminum chlorohydrate may mimic estrogen, thus also having the potential to contribute to breast cancer progression. 4 A previous retrospective study showed that breast cancer patients with more frequent antiperspirant use were diagnosed at a younger age than patients who used it less frequently suggesting a dose– response relationship to the aluminum exposure, which is consistent with es trogen action in breast cancer. 2 Since then, more case– control stud ies have been published, one showing statistically significant increase in breast cancer with excessive daily antiperspirant use. 5 However, a systematic review with limited number of studies concluded that anti perspirant use could be a protective factor against breast cancer. 6 Our objective was to conduct a statistical analysis to evaluate the associa tion between antiperspirants and risk of breast cancer. -sion, breast cancer patients trend was observed between maximum use of antiperspirants and breast cancer. In addition, despite the lower OR in control patients, we cannot conclude antiperspirants as a protective factor against breast cancer. Limitations of this study include potentially missed studies, re call bias, and sampling bias. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, adjusted and unadjusted OR were pooled together which may allow for confounding variables. Future large cohort studies are needed to further investigate whether there is a true causal relationship between antiperspirants and breast cancer risk. Despite these lim -itations, as of this time, this study shows that there is currently insuf ficient evidence to draw an association between antiperspirant use and breast cancer risk.