Hair Relaxers and Uterine Cancer

Hair Relaxers and Uterine Cancer

Doug Mann

Last updated on August 8th, 2023

Chemical hair relaxers have been in use for over 100 years, but their effects on the body still aren’t completely understood. New research seems to suggest that there is a connection between frequent use of hair relaxers and uterine cancer (in particular, endometrial cancer). If this is the case, it could potentially affect millions of people.

Read on to see the latest on how hair relaxers and uterine cancer might be connected, and what you can do if you’ve been affected.

Uterine Cancer Overview

Uterine cancer is caused when malignant cells grow and multiply in or around the uterus. There are two different types of uterine cancer. Endometrial cancer accounts for 95-98% of all uterine cancers and uterine sarcoma makes up the remainder of cases.

Uterine cancer is the most common reproductive cancer. Approximately 3.1% of American women will develop uterine cancer during their lifetimes. It’s estimated that there will be 66,200 new cases diagnosed this year, and, if current statistics hold true, around 53,600 of those women will survive at least five years beyond their diagnosis.

Uterine cancer, as a whole, has a better survival rate than ovarian cancer, but it is still a very serious illness that requires prompt medical care for the best chance of success.

Endometrial Cancer

As mentioned above, endometrial cancer is by far the most common type of uterine cancer. The endometrium is the lining of the uterus, and endometrial cancer is caused when malignant cells form there. Those cells can then multiply and spread elsewhere in the body.

Uterine Sarcoma

Uterine sarcoma happens when malignant cells grow in the muscle or the tissues that support the uterus. Although uterine sarcoma is less common, it is more likely to be deadly.

Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer

The symptoms of uterine cancer include:

• Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding between periods
• Pelvic pain

Of course, these three symptoms can be caused by a variety of different reasons, so it is important to speak with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of these concerns.

There are a number of ways that uterine cancer can be discovered. A pelvic examination, transvaginal ultrasound, or hysteroscopy are all methods that may be used. If cancer is suspected, a biopsy of uterine tissue may be taken.

Treatment of Uterine Cancer

The treatment of uterine cancer depends on how far the cancer has spread. It may include one or all of the following:

• Hysterectomy. The surgical removal of the uterus (and sometimes the fallopian tubes and ovaries) is generally the first-line treatment for endometrial cancer.
• Radiation therapy. Your doctor may recommend radiation therapy in conjunction with a hysterectomy, to be certain that any remaining cancer is destroyed.
• Chemotherapy. Much like radiation therapy, chemotherapy may be used after surgery to target any remaining cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy. Since endometrial cancer cells are still reproductive cells, they rely on hormones to grow. Hormone therapy can decrease or slow down cancer’s ability to multiply. It is sometimes used if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Risk Factors and Causes for Uterine Cancer

The cause of uterine or endometrial cancer is not yet known. Something happens within the body that causes a cell to mutate, and that cell multiplies. However, doctors are unsure what causes that initial cell to mutate.

There are certain risk factors that make it more likely that someone will develop uterine cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, those include:

• Changes in hormone levels. There are many things that cause hormones in the body to be unregulated, including diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome. In particular, anything that causes estrogen to increase without increasing progesterone can cause uterine cancer.
• Menstruating for more years. There are multiple reasons that a woman may menstruate for a longer period of time. Early menarche can increase the number of periods you have; pregnancy can decrease it. The more periods you have had, the more likely you are to develop ovarian cancer.
• Never pregnant. Women who have never been pregnant tend to have a higher risk than women who have had at least one pregnancy.
• Hormone therapy. The breast cancer drug tamoxifen can increase the risk of uterine and endometrial cancer.
• Obesity. This may be due to the fact that obesity raises certain hormone levels.
• Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome is a hereditary gene mutation that leads to an increased risk of colon cancer. It can also increase the risk of uterine cancer.

How Hair Relaxers May Contribute to Uterine Cancer

Hair relaxers are made up of multiple different chemicals, and some of those chemicals have been proven to be dangerous to humans. One of the main chemicals of concern is formaldehyde and formaldehyde-forming chemicals. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and has been linked to reproductive and fertility problems.

A study done in 2022 found that people who have used hair relaxers four or more times per year have more than twice the risk of developing uterine cancer, in particular endometrial cancer than people who used hair relaxers less often or not at all.

Next Steps if You Have Been Diagnosed With Uterine Cancer After Hair Relaxer Use

If you’ve used hair relaxers and have uterine cancer, it’s natural to want answers and justice for what happened to you. There is currently a multidistrict litigation (MDL) looking into the link between hair relaxers and uterine cancer. There’s still time to join if you’ve been affected. Here are your next steps:

• Contact an experienced attorney. MDLs are substantially more complicated than most other lawsuits, and you want a lawyer who has experience litigating them. Don’t take the risk of hiring a lawyer who doesn’t have previous experience with MDLs or mass torts.
• Begin collecting evidence. Pull together all your medical records and any proof you have of hair relaxer treatments, including salon receipts. Your attorney will want as much evidence as you can provide, so it’s good to start collecting it early.
• Try not to stress. This is easier said than done, but your priority needs to be your health. This is another area where you want an experienced lawyer: he or she will know what needs to be done and how to do it, taking much of the pressure and stress off you.

Looking for an experienced, qualified attorney? Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz can help you with your hair relaxer and uterine cancer lawsuit. Contact us for a free consultation today.