By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Your chances of developing breast cancer might depend on how much time you spend in the kitchen. Cancer researchers are starting to look at how per and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances — materials used for coating non-stick and stain-resistant pots and pans — contribute to breast cancer development. This will be the first time women's breast tissue will be directly exposed to these dangerous chemicals.

PFAS are commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" because it takes a long time for them to break down. Found in nearly 99 percent of household products, researchers have been looking into how these chemicals affect people's health over long periods of time.

"We're exposed to them in a variety of ways," says Katherine Reeves, an associate dean of graduate and professional studies and professor of epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in a media release. "Drinking water is certainly a very common one. Even though these chemicals are being phased out, we're still using the consumer products that have these – think of the couch you bought 15 years ago that you Scotch-Guarded. You're still being exposed. And the health effects are not entirely known."