Flame retardants commonly sprayed in fabric and fillings in furniture were associated with a 74 percent increase in thyroid cancer rates in the U.K. during the last 10 years, a study revealed. Health experts said exposure to this flame retardants through dust might have contributed to the surge in thyroid cancer rates. To assess this, researchers at the Duke University analyzed household dust and blood samples from cancer patients.

Researchers found that patients with thyroid cancer had significantly higher exposure to flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers compared with healthy controls. Data also showed that cancer patients exhibited higher levels of TCEP, also known as Chlorinated Tris. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers were banned in 2004, while TCEP was banned 16 years ago.