Environmental arsenic in drinking water can promote the growth and spread of tumours in people with pre-existing tumours, says a University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre study.
The study on mice found that levels of arsenic as low as four parts per billion in water stimulated blood vessel growth in tumours. Arsenic levels as low as 10 ppb resulted in tumour expansion, the Associated Press reported.
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"What we can say pretty definitely that if you have a pre-existing tumour, and you're drinking water with arsenic in it, it could very well increase the growth of that tumour," research team leader Michael Ihnat, assistant professor of cell biology, told the AP.
He added that it's still not clear whether arsenic in drinking water increases overall tumour risk. – (HealthDayNews)
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