The Environment and Cancer: SurvivorNet Talks To Fran Drescher

Actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher is an outspoken advocate for women’s health. Her non-profit, Cancer Schmancer, aims to educate women about prevention and early diagnosis so they can make informed choices about their health. The organization also asks some of the same questions so many of us ask about what’s harmful to our health and it promotes a “Detox Your Home” initiative. “Read labels and start getting back to a more natural life,” says Fran.

However, scientific data does not support some of the organization’s claims.  “It’s difficult to study environmental causes,” says Dr. Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist and medical advisor to SurvivorNet. And while she acknowledges that there are certain obvious environmental factors that are harmful like the sun and cigarette smoke she cautions against going overboard. “I do think that many times there is hysteria around things that we have been exposed to for years that have demonstrably not caused cancer.”