CONFERENCES POINT TO GROWING CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE LINKS BETWEEN BREAST-CANCER, ENVIRONMENT

Evidence is growing that there may be a connection between certain che micals in the environment and the rising incidence of breast cancer in North America. Two recent canadian conferences have been held to diss eminate information and another is planned for 1996. ''We have a situa tion that is similar to global warming,'' Devra Lee Davis, founder of the US breast Cancer Prevention Collaborative Research Group, warned p eople attending a conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. ''Breast cancer co ntinues to increase. The increase is greatest among older women who ha ve fewer of the known risk factors. It makes sense to try to limit exp osure to things that could be promoting the disease.''