Silent Spring featured in Katie Couric Media coverage of young adult cancers

Executive Director Dr. Mary Beth Terry recently appeared on Katie Couric's podcast Next Question to discuss a troubling trend: rising rates of breast cancer and other cancers among adults under 50.

In the episode, “What’s Behind the Rise of Breast Cancer in Younger Women?”, Couric and Terry explore growing evidence that environmental exposures may be contributing to the increase in early-onset cancers. Their conversation examines the complex interplay between genetics, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures, with a particular focus on how chemical exposures during critical stages of development including in the womb, during childhood, and throughout adolescence, can influence breast cancer risk years or decades later. 

The show also features Ali Feller, host of the Ali on the Run Show, who shares her experience navigating a breast cancer diagnosis at age 38 while raising a young family. The episode comes at a time of growing concern about early-onset cancers worldwide. Breast cancer is now the most common cancer diagnosed in young adults, often occurring before routine screening recommendations begin. 

Katie Couric Media’s website and daily newsletter, Wake Up Call, also featured two articles highlighting Silent Spring’s research and expanding on themes discussed in the podcast.

In an essay titled, "What the Rise in Cancer Rates in Young Adults Is Telling Us About Our Environment," Dr. Terry examines why the surge in early-onset cancers cannot be fully explained by conventional risk factors. Rates have risen dramatically in recent decades, particularly among women, who account for about two-thirds of early-onset cancer diagnoses. 

Terry argues that common explanations such as obesity, alcohol consumption, reproductive trends, and inherited genetic mutations do not adequately account for the increase. “Something else is going on. Our environment has changed dramatically,” she writes. The article calls for greater investment in research to pinpoint the environment exposures driving early-onset cancers and “to accelerate prevention strategies, guide health policy, reduce cancer rates, and ultimately save lives.” 

A second article, "Creating a Home That's Safe from Toxic Chemicals," features a Q&A with Silent Spring exposure scientist Dr. Robin Dodson. Drawing on decades of research measuring chemicals in homes, Dodson offers practical strategies for reducing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals commonly found in household products and indoor environments. 

“People are often surprised to learn that chemicals can affect our bodies in ways that are similar to well-established risk factors for cancer and other diseases,” says Robin Dodson, an exposure scientist at Silent Spring Institute. 

Luckily, she says, there are simple, low-cost steps people can take to reduce their exposures and create a healthier home. Her recommendations include keeping dust levels low, improving ventilation, avoiding vinyl products and stain-resistant treatments, and choosing fragrance-free products. 

Together, the podcast and articles highlight a growing body of research on the role of environmental exposures in cancer risk and the importance of prevention-focused research. They also underscore a central goal of Silent Spring's work: identifying opportunities to reduce harmful exposures and protect health now and in the future.