Liver Cancer Deaths Are Skyrocketing As Food Becomes Increasingly TOXIC Due To Pesticides And Herbicides

Photo © Sebastian Kaulitzki – shutterstock.com

Liver cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancers in the U.S., based on data from United States Cancer Statistics: 1999-2014 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report which was published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This chronic disease claimed about 16,000 men and 8,000 women while almost 32,000 Americans were diagnosed with the medical condition. ^[1]

A new report revealed that liver cancer death rates have doubled in the U.S. since the mid-1980s. Published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the report predicted the rising incidence of liver cancer to continue through at least 2030. ^[2] According to the document, several risk factors contributed to the increase including the rise in obesity and type II diabetes, a higher rate of hepatitis C virus infection, and tobacco use.

The report provided a chilling landscape on the prevalence of liver cancer in the U.S. However, it failed to include another risk factor that is linked to liver cancer – pesticide exposure – which was associated with a 71 percent increased risk of liver cancer, as per a meta-analysis presented at the 2017 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research held in Washington, District of Columbia. ^[3]

According to lead study author Hamdi Abdi, several studies have confirmed the influence of exposure to pesticides on the development of liver cancer. Abdi and his colleagues examined and reviewed 16 other studies, which provided information on the participants’ individual levels of pesticide exposure.

Pesticides are used in agricultural, commercial, and “home and garden” applications. Chemicals used to control pests on food crops present a danger to people who consume those foods. Many fruits and vegetables contain pesticide residues even after being washed or peeled.

There are a number of specific pesticides classified as probable causes of cancer including captafol, ethylene dibromide, glyphosate, malathion, diazinon, and dichlorophenyltrichloroethane (DDT). ^[4] DDT, an organochlorine pesticide, may increase the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, says a study published in the March 2017 edition of Cancer Causes & Control. ^[5] Its use is restricted in many places.

Toxapene, the most heavily used insecticide in the world before it was banned in 1982, was also identified as a cancer risk. The pesticide caused increased incidence of neoplasms of liver and uterus in mice. ^[6]

However this might be the very tip of the iceberg: A report released by Princeton University revealed that there are 70,000 chemicals that are in commercial production in the U.S. ^[7] The combination effects and long term low-level exposure effects of these chemicals are in very many cases simply unknown.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes an annual report on pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables that are important parts of children’s diets. These foods include apples, apple juice, carrots, grapes, green beans, peaches, potatoes, and tomatoes. The report shows which food registered greater or lesser frequencies of organophosphate pesticide residue detection. ^[8]

There is a growing concern over the contamination of food with agricultural chemicals. More studies are needed to develop a true dose-response curve for each chemical, that will enable researchers to gather data on the link between the dose of a chemical or drug and the effect of the chemical or drug. This information is pertinent to the determination of the level of pesticide data that is maybe associated with a certain increase in liver cancer risk.

To reduce your exposure to pesticides and other chemicals, the following tips might help:

• Purchase organically produced vegetables and fruits.
• Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables.
• Grow your own vegetables or fruits if you have larger space.
• Cook pork and chicken thoroughly.
• Trim visible fats from meats because many residues are fat soluble.
• Purify tap water (a carbon block purifier is an excellent choice, such as the Big Berkey countertop water purifier)

For a very detailed report with a ton of research, check out my in depth free guide:

These Are 16 Of The Worst Toxins Found In The Home(Plus The Simple Tests That Could Save Your Life!)

Additional Further Reading:

Shopper’s Guide To Pesticides

Nine Important Ways To Avoid Pesticide Residues In Food