The postulated innocuity of lifetime exposure to aluminium should be reappraised

Stefano J Mandriota; André-Pascal Sappino

doi:10.3389/fonc.2023.1159899

The postulated innocuity of lifetime exposure to aluminium should be reappraised

Front Oncol. 2023 Jul 24:13:1159899. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1159899. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Stefano J Mandriota¹, André-Pascal Sappino¹

Affiliation

¹ Laboratoire de Cancérogenèse Environnementale, Fondation des Grangettes, Chêne-Bougeries, Switzerland.

Abstract

Because of its chemical versatility and abundance in nature, aluminium is employed in a myriad of frequently used products - including cosmetics and food additives - and applications - drinking water purification procedures being an example. Despite what its widespread use might suggest, aluminium's harmlessness is a matter of debate in the scientific community. In this article we trace the lines of a growing questioning about the potential mutagenic effects of this metal, due to the data produced over the recent years, and with an eye to the discussions currently underway in this regard between the scientific community, industry, and regulatory bodies.

Keywords: aluminium; breast cancer; cellular transformation; chemical carcinogenesis; chromosomal instability (CIN).

Grants and funding

Work in the authors’ laboratory was supported by a private, charitable Foundation in Geneva (Switzerland), by a generous donor represented by CARIGEST SA (Geneva, Switzerland), by the Fondation pour l’innovation sur le cancer et la biologie (Geneva, Switzerland) by the SONGe (Réseau de sénologie et onco-gynécologie genevois) (Geneva, Switzerland) and by donations from cancer patients. These funding sources did not play any role in the conception, the writing of this manuscript or the decision to submit it for publication. The Fondation des Grangettes is a non-profit foundation, recognized as a public utility by the Swiss government.