ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces how soil health impacts cancer development, risk, and treatment/care. It discusses some cancer prevention/treatment strategies from understanding the soil. Environmental exposures, like soil contamination from pesticides and contaminated water, are being further studied as risk factors for the development of breast cancer, particularly in low-income, disadvantaged communities. The Agriculture Health Study highlighted a case-control study in California that found an increased risk of stomach cancer associated with the pesticide, methyl bromide. The International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs Program identifies and evaluates environmental causes of cancer in humans. A working group of international experts meets to discuss the current scientific evidence on a suspected agent and using specific criteria, deliberate on evaluations of carcinogenicity to humans. Humans can be exposed to environmental pollutants through three main mechanisms: ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption from soil and dust.
