Index IntroductionPesticide exposure among womenEpidemiological evidenceMechanisms of actionEthical considerationsConclusionIntroductionPesticides, a diverse category of chemicals designed to combat various pests, including herbicides and insecticides, play a role significant in modern agriculture. While they are critical for crop protection, there is growing concern about potential health risks associated with pesticide exposure, particularly among women in rural areas. This essay aims to provide an in-depth examination of the link between pesticide exposure and breast cancer risk, addressing mechanisms, epidemiological evidence, ethical considerations, and potential policy implications. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Pesticide Exposure Among Women The modern agricultural landscape has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of women working as pesticide applicators on commercial farms and plantations. In some regions, women make up up to 85% of pesticide applicators, often during labor during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Worryingly, around 30,000 women engage in pesticide spraying in Malaysia alone, exposing themselves to highly toxic chemicals such as paraquat for an average of 262 days a year. Additionally, around 80% of these women use leaky portable equipment, and their motivation often depends on just an extra 50 cents a day. However, even when women do not directly apply pesticides, they are still exposed while engaged in activities such as mixing pesticides, weeding while pesticides are applied, cleaning pesticide containers, harvesting pesticide-soaked crops, washing clothes soaked in pesticides and storing pesticides. in their homes. This level of exposure is largely unrecognized and pesticide poisonings are often underestimated, especially in developing countries. Epidemiologic Evidence Breast cancer, the most common cancer diagnosis among women in the United States, is influenced by various factors, including exposure to endogenous and exogenous estrogens. Researchers have begun to explore the potential role of environmental agents used for pest control, including pesticides, in increasing breast cancer risk. Organochlorine pesticides such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) have been widely used as insecticides. DDT and its metabolite DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) are known to persist in the environment and accumulate in adipose tissue at levels far exceeding those found in blood and breast milk. Several research groups have studied whether exposure to organochlorine pesticides is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women. Although the results are conflicting, some studies suggest that environmental contamination with organochlorine residues may indeed be an important etiological factor in the development of breast cancer. The association between pesticide exposure and breast cancer risk remains an ongoing research topic, requiring further investigation into the specific mechanisms underlying this relationship. Mechanisms of Action Organophosphorus pesticides, commonly used for mosquito control, are another group of chemicals potentially linked to breast cancer risk. Substances such as parathion and malathion, widely used to control agricultural pests, have structural similarities with naturally occurring compounds. Theirs., 23(1), 1-37.