Chemicals in Tap Water, French Fries May Cause Breast Cancer

Hundreds of common chemicals—from a substance used in French fries to one found in tap water—may cause breast cancer, a new report linking the disease to everyday products suggests. Researchers say they've found a link between cancer in animals and more than 200 common chemicals, many of which the federal government doesn't regulate.

Much of the recent attention on the disease has focused on genetics, but family history accounts for only a small percentage of breast cancer cases. The scientists, compiling existing research in the journal Cancer, predict that lowering exposure to some chemicals could save thousands of lives. "More and more, cancer looks like an environmental disease," says one researcher. (More breast cancer stories.)