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Onyije FM, Dolatkhah R, Olsson A, Bouaoun L, Deltour I, Erdmann F, Bonaventure A, Scheurer ME, Clavel J, Schüz J. Risk factors for childhood brain tumours: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies from 1976 to 2022. Cancer Epidemiol 2024; 88:102510. [PMID: 38056243 PMCID: PMC10835339 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood brain tumours (CBTs) are the leading cause of cancer death in children under the age of 20 years globally. Though the aetiology of CBT remains poorly understood, it is thought to be multifactorial. We aimed to synthesize potential risk factors for CBT to inform primary prevention. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies indexed in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases from the start of those resources through 27 July 2023. We included data from case-control or cohort studies that reported effect estimates for each risk factor around the time of conception, during pregnancy and/or during post-natal period. Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate summary effect sizes (ES) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We also quantified heterogeneity (I2) across studies. FINDINGS A total of 4040 studies were identified, of which 181 studies (85 case-control and 96 cohort studies) met our criteria for inclusion. Of all eligible studies, 50% (n = 91) were conducted in Europe, 32% (n = 57) in North America, 9% (n = 16) in Australia, 8% (n = 15) in Asia, 1% (n = 2) in South America, and none in Africa. We found associations for some modifiable risk factors including childhood domestic exposures to insecticides (ES 1.44, 95% CI 1.20-1.73) and herbicides (ES 2.38, 95% CI 1.31-4.33). Maternal domestic exposure to insecticides (ES 1.45, 95% CI 1.09-1.94), maternal consumption of cured meat (ES 1.51, 95% CI 1.05-2.17) and coffee ≥ 2 cups/day (ES 1.45, 95% 95% CI 1.07-1.95) during pregnancy, and maternal exposure to benzene (ES 2.22; 95% CI 1.01-4.88) before conception were associated with CBTs in case-control studies. Also, paternal occupational exposure to pesticides (ES 1.48, 95% CI 1.23-1.77) and benzene (ES 1.74, 95% CI 1.10-2.76) before conception and during pregnancy were associated in case-control studies and in combined analysis. On the other hand, assisted reproductive technology (ART) (ES 1.32, 95% CI 1.05-1.67), caesarean section (CS) (ES 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25), paternal occupational exposure to paint before conception (ES 1.56, 95% CI 1.02-2.40) and maternal smoking > 10 cigarettes per day during pregnancy (ES 1.18, 95% CI 1.00-1.40) were associated with CBT in cohort studies. Maternal intake of vitamins and folic acid during pregnancy was inversely associated in cohort studies. Hormonal/infertility treatment, breastfeeding, child day-care attendance, maternal exposure to electric heated waterbed, tea and alcohol consumption during pregnancy were among those not associated with CBT in both case-control and cohort studies. CONCLUSION Our results should be interpreted with caution, especially as most associations between risk factors and CBT were discordant between cohort and case-control studies. At present, it is premature for any CBT to define specific primary prevention guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix M Onyije
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France.
| | - Roya Dolatkhah
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Ann Olsson
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Liacine Bouaoun
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Isabelle Deltour
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Friederike Erdmann
- Research Group Aetiology and Inequalities in Childhood Cancer, Division of Childhood Cancer Epidemiology Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstraβe 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Audrey Bonaventure
- Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers Team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Villejuif, France
| | - Michael E Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics, Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jacqueline Clavel
- Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers Team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Villejuif, France; National Registry of Childhood Cancers, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Villejuif, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
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Awounou D, Mancini M, Lacour B, de Crouy-Chanel P, Aerts I, Minard-Colin V, Schleiermacher G, Verschuur A, Guissou S, Desandes E, Guldner L, Clavel J, Goujon S. Residential proximity to vines and risk of childhood embryonal tumours in France - GEOCAP case-control study, 2006-2013. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 240:117417. [PMID: 37865323 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to pesticides has been suggested as a potential risk factor for childhood embryonal tumour. The existing literature has mainly focused on parental occupational exposure and domestic use of pesticides, and is very limited for residential exposures to agricultural pesticides. The study aimed to test the hypothesis of an increased risk of embryonal tumour in children living close to viticultural plots, likely to be subject to frequent pesticide applications. METHODS The study is part of the French national registry-based GEOCAP program. We included 2761 cases of neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, Wilms tumour and rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed before the age of 15 years in the 2006-2013 period, and 40,196 controls representative of the same age population during this period. Indicators of proximity to vines, the presence of vines and viticulture density within 1000 m of the geocoded addresses of residence, were evaluated combining three sources of data on agricultural land use in a geographic information system. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using unconditional logistic regressions and carried out several sensitivity analyses to test the stability of the results. RESULTS Approximately 10% of the controls lived within 1000 m of vines, with regional variations ranging from <1% to 38%. We observed a 5% increase in the risk of neuroblastoma for a 10% increase in viticulture density (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.98-1.13), with a regional heterogeneity. The indicators of proximity to vines were not associated with the other non-CNS embryonal tumours. CONCLUSION The study showed a slight increase in the risk of neuroblastoma in children living close to vines, suggesting that residential exposure to agricultural pesticides may be involved in the occurrence of these tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Awounou
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France.
| | - Matthieu Mancini
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France
| | - Brigitte Lacour
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France; French National Registry of Childhood Cancers, RNHE, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, AP-HP, Villejuif, and RNTSE, CHRU de Nancy, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Perrine de Crouy-Chanel
- Santé publique France, the French Public Health Agency, Direction Appui, Traitements et Analyses des données (DATA), Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Isabelle Aerts
- SIREDO Centre (Care, Innovation, Research In Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology), Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Véronique Minard-Colin
- Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy - Inserm UMR1015, Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Gudrun Schleiermacher
- SIREDO Centre (Care, Innovation, Research In Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology), Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Arnauld Verschuur
- Department of Paediatric Haematology, Immunology and Oncology, Children Hospital of La Timone, AP-HM, 13385, Marseille, France
| | - Sandra Guissou
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France; French National Registry of Childhood Cancers, RNHE, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, AP-HP, Villejuif, and RNTSE, CHRU de Nancy, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Emmanuel Desandes
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France; French National Registry of Childhood Cancers, RNHE, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, AP-HP, Villejuif, and RNTSE, CHRU de Nancy, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Laurence Guldner
- Santé publique France, the French Public Health Agency, Direction Santé Environnement Travail (DSET), Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Jacqueline Clavel
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France; French National Registry of Childhood Cancers, RNHE, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, AP-HP, Villejuif, and RNTSE, CHRU de Nancy, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Stéphanie Goujon
- Inserm UMR1153, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers (EPICEA) team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris, France; French National Registry of Childhood Cancers, RNHE, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, AP-HP, Villejuif, and RNTSE, CHRU de Nancy, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
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Thompson S, Ritz B, Cockburn M, Heck JE. Prenatal ambient pesticide exposure and childhood retinoblastoma. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 245:114025. [PMID: 36037576 PMCID: PMC9901366 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retinoblastoma is a rare tumor of the retina, most commonly found in young children. Due to the rarity of this childhood cancer, few studies have been able to examine prenatal pesticide exposure as a risk factor. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between childhood retinoblastoma and prenatal exposure to pesticides through residential proximity to agricultural pesticide applications. METHODS We conducted a population-based case-control study using cases aged 5 and younger identified from the California Cancer Registry, and controls randomly selected from California birth certificates. Frequency matching cases to controls by age resulted in 221 cases of unilateral retinoblastoma and 114 cases of bilateral retinoblastoma, totaling 335 cases and 123,166 controls. Based on addresses from birth certificates we employed Pesticide Use Reports and land use information within a geographic information system approach to individually assess exposures to specific pesticides within 4000 m of the residence reported on birth certificates. The associations between retinoblastoma (all types combined and stratified by laterality) and individual pesticides were expressed as odds ratios estimates obtained from unconditional logistic regression models including a single pesticide, and from a hierarchical logistic regression model including all pesticides. RESULTS We found that exposures to acephate (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.41) and bromacil (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.07, 3.26) were associated with increased risk for unilateral retinoblastoma. In addition to acephate, we found that pymetrozine (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.08) and kresoxim-methyl (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.56) were associated with retinoblastoma (all types combined). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that certain types of prenatal ambient pesticide exposure from residing near agricultural fields may play a role in the development of childhood retinoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiraya Thompson
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. S, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA
| | - Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. S, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA
| | - Myles Cockburn
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001, N. Soto Street, Suite 318-A, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julia E. Heck
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. S, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Box 951781, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1781, USA,College of Health and Public Service, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311340, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA,Center for Racial and Ethnic Equity in Health and Society (CREEHS), 1155 Union Circle, Denton, TX, 76201, USA,Corresponding author.1155 Union Circle #311340, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA. (J.E. Heck)
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Karalexi MA, Tagkas CF, Markozannes G, Tseretopoulou X, Hernández AF, Schüz J, Halldorsson TI, Psaltopoulou T, Petridou ET, Tzoulaki I, Ntzani EE. Exposure to pesticides and childhood leukemia risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 285:117376. [PMID: 34380208 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite the abundance of epidemiological evidence concerning the association between pesticide exposure and adverse health outcomes including acute childhood leukemia (AL), evidence remains inconclusive, and is inherently limited by heterogeneous exposure assessment and multiple statistical testing. We performed a literature search of peer-reviewed studies, published until January 2021, without language restrictions. Summary odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived from stratified random-effects meta-analyses by type of exposure and outcome, exposed populations and window of exposure to address the large heterogeneity of existing literature. Heterogeneity and small-study effects were also assessed. We identified 55 eligible studies (n = 48 case-control and n = 7 cohorts) from over 30 countries assessing >200 different exposures of pesticides (n = 160,924 participants). The summary OR for maternal environmental exposure to pesticides (broad term) during pregnancy and AL was 1.88 (95%CI: 1.15-3.08), reaching 2.51 for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL; 95%CI: 1.39-4.55). Analysis by pesticide subtype yielded an increased risk for maternal herbicide (OR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.00-1.99) and insecticide (OR: 1.60, 95%CI: 1.11-2.29) exposure during pregnancy and AL without heterogeneity (p = 0.12-0.34). Meta-analyses of infant leukemia were only feasible for maternal exposure to pesticides during pregnancy. Higher magnitude risks were observed for maternal pesticide exposure and infant ALL (OR: 2.18, 95%CI: 1.44-3.29), and the highest for infant acute myeloid leukemia (OR: 3.42, 95%CI: 1.98-5.91). Overall, the associations were stronger for maternal exposure during pregnancy compared to childhood exposure. For occupational or mixed exposures, parental, and specifically paternal, pesticide exposure was significantly associated with increased risk of AL (ORparental: 1.75, 95%CI: 1.08-2.85; ORpaternal: 1.20, 95%CI: 1.07-1.35). The epidemiological evidence, supported by mechanistic studies, suggests that pesticide exposure, mainly during pregnancy, increases the risk of childhood leukemia, particularly among infants. Sufficiently powered studies using repeated biomarker analyses are needed to confirm whether there is public health merit in reducing prenatal pesticide exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Karalexi
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Christos F Tagkas
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Georgios Markozannes
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Xanthippi Tseretopoulou
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Greece; Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Antonio F Hernández
- Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Avenida de La Investigación 11, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Thorhallur I Halldorsson
- Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali, The National University Hospital of Iceland and Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Eiriksgata 29, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland; Department of Epidemiology Research, Centre for Fetal Programming, Statens Serum Institut, 5, Artillerivej, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Theodora Psaltopoulou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Th Petridou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioanna Tzoulaki
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Greece; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Evangelia E Ntzani
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Greece; Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA; Institute of Biosciences, University Research Center of Loannina, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
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Omidakhsh N, Hansen J, Ritz B, Coleman AL, McKean-Cowdin R, Olsen J, Heck JE. Parental Occupation and Risk of Childhood Retinoblastoma in Denmark. J Occup Environ Med 2021; 63:256-261. [PMID: 33395168 PMCID: PMC8259454 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular tumor affecting children. We examine the role of parental occupational exposures and risk of retinoblastoma among offspring. METHODS Our population-based case-control study linked data from four nationwide Danish registries and included all cases of retinoblastoma diagnosed in Danish children (<5 y, n = 144) between 1975 and 2014. We focused on two biologically relevant time periods: 90 days preconception to conception for fathers; conception to birth for mothers. Parents were grouped into major industry headings created from Danish industry codes. RESULTS We observed increased risk of all retinoblastoma for children of fathers in the food and drink industry and iron and metal industry. Bilateral disease was associated with paternal work in manufacturing and land transportation. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that some occupational exposures may increase the risk of childhood sporadic retinoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Omidakhsh
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Johnni Hansen
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anne L. Coleman
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roberta McKean-Cowdin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jorn Olsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Julia E. Heck
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Silva Pinto BG, Marques Soares TK, Azevedo Linhares M, Castilhos Ghisi N. Occupational exposure to pesticides: Genetic danger to farmworkers and manufacturing workers - A meta-analytical review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 748:141382. [PMID: 32818891 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In the last decades, the use of pesticides has grown worldwide. However, there is great worry about the impact of pesticides on human health, due to their wide distribution and possible long-term effects. Complex mixtures with different formulations are often used, including a variety of genotoxic compounds. Thus, genotoxicity tests form an important part of cancer research and risk assessment of potential carcinogens. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analytical review of possible genetic damage resulting from occupational exposure in farmworkers and workers employed in pesticide production, both ever in comparison to non-exposed people, using comet assay (CA), micronucleus test (MN) and telomere length (TL) data available in the scientific literature. A total of 145 datasets were evaluated. The results showed that the occupationally exposed workers had more DNA damage in CA and MN than non-exposed workers. The TL result did not show difference between groups. When the data were categorized by gender (male, female or both), crop (general, tobacco, fruits, soybeans, cotton) and occupation (manufacturing or farmworkers), the study found that the exposed group always presented higher damage than the non-exposed individuals, in CA and MN. More studies with TL are needed to obtain a more precise response, and to segregate the effect of tobacco farming from pesticide exposure. When TL was segregated by gender, women and men presented difference between exposed and non-exposed groups. In general, the publication bias impact was modest. If all relevant studies were included, the key finding (i.e. the effect of pesticide exposure increases the genotoxicity and mutation rate) would probably remain unchanged. Lastly, it is important to highlight the importance of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and offer safer options to farmworkers (e.g. organic farming or less toxic alternatives).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Gabriele Silva Pinto
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Estrada para Boa Esperança, s/n, km 04, P.O. Box 157, CEP: 85660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil.
| | - Tábatta Kim Marques Soares
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Estrada para Boa Esperança, s/n, km 04, P.O. Box 157, CEP: 85660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil.
| | - Maristela Azevedo Linhares
- Centro de Tecnologia em Saúde e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Tecnologia do Paraná (Tecpar), Rua Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775, CEP: 81350-10 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Nédia Castilhos Ghisi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Estrada para Boa Esperança, s/n, km 04, P.O. Box 157, CEP: 85660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil.
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Sabarwal A, Kumar K, Singh RP. Hazardous effects of chemical pesticides on human health-Cancer and other associated disorders. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2018; 63:103-114. [PMID: 30199797 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 247] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Poisoning from pesticides is a global public health problem and accounts for nearly 300,000 deaths worldwide every year. Exposure to pesticides is inevitable; there are different modes through which humans get exposed to pesticides. The mode of exposure is an important factor as it also signifies the concentration of pesticides exposure. Pesticides are used extensively in agricultural and domestic settings. These chemicals are believed to cause many disorders in humans and wildlife. Research from past few decades has tried to answer the associated mechanism of action of pesticides in conjunction with their harmful effects. This perspective considers the past and present research in the field of pesticides and associated disorders. We have reviewed the most common diseases including cancer which are associated with pesticides. Pesticides have shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases as well as various disorders of the respiratory and reproductive tracts. Oxidative stress caused by pesticides is an important mechanism through which many of the pesticides exert their harmful effects. Oxidative stress is known to cause DNA damage which in turn may cause malignancies and other disorders. Many pesticides have shown to modulate the gene expression at the level of non-coding RNAs, histone deacetylases, DNA methylation patterns suggesting their role in epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Sabarwal
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India; Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Kunal Kumar
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Rana P Singh
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India; Cancer Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
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Zhu J, Jia W, Wu C, Fu W, Xia H, Liu G, He J. Base Excision Repair Gene Polymorphisms and Wilms Tumor Susceptibility. EBioMedicine 2018; 33:88-93. [PMID: 29937070 PMCID: PMC6085508 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Base excision repair (BER) is the main mechanism to repair endogenous DNA lesions caused by reactive oxygen species. BER deficiency is linked with cancer susceptibility and premature aging. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within BER genes have been implicated in various human malignancies. Nevertheless, a comprehensive investigation of their association with Wilms tumor susceptibility is lacking. In this study, 145 cases and 531 sex and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. We systematically genotyped 18 potentially functional SNPs in six core BER pathway genes, using a candidate SNP approach. Logistic regression was employed to evaluate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) adjusted for age and gender. Several SNPs showed protective effects against Wilms tumor. Significant associations with Wilms tumor susceptibility were shown for hOGG1 rs1052133 (dominant: adjusted OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.45-0.96, P = .030), FEN1 rs174538 (dominant: adjusted OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.45-0.95, P = .027; recessive: adjusted OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.32-0.93 P = .027), and FEN1 rs4246215 (dominant: adjusted OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.38-0.80, P = .002) polymorphisms. Stratified analysis was performed by age, gender, and clinical stage. Moreover, there was evidence of functional implication of these significant SNPs suggested by online expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis. Our findings indicate that common SNPs in BER genes modify susceptibility to Wilms tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhong Zhu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150040, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Caixia Wu
- Department of Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150040, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wen Fu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Huimin Xia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China
| | - Guochang Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jing He
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, China.
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Omidakhsh N, Bunin GR, Ganguly A, Ritz B, Kennedy N, von Ehrenstein OS, Krause N, Heck JE. Parental occupational exposures and the risk of childhood sporadic retinoblastoma: a report from the Children's Oncology Group. Occup Environ Med 2018; 75:205-211. [PMID: 29074554 PMCID: PMC5884108 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2017-104404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We examined associations between parental occupational chemical exposures up to 10 years before conception and the risk of sporadic retinoblastoma among offspring. METHODS In our multicentre study on non-familial retinoblastoma, parents of 187 unilateral and 95 bilateral cases and 155 friend controls were interviewed by telephone. Exposure information was collected retroactively through a detailed occupational questionnaire that asked fathers to report every job held in the 10 years before conception, and mothers 1 month before and during the index pregnancy. An industrial hygienist reviewed all occupational data and assigned an overall exposure score to each job indicating the presence of nine hazardous agents. RESULTS We estimated elevated ORs for unilateral and bilateral retinoblastoma among offspring of fathers who were exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or paints in the 10 years before conception. However, only for exposure to paints did confidence limits exclude the null for bilateral disease (OR: 8.76, 95% CI: 1.32 to 58.09). Maternal prenatal exposure to at least one of the nine agents was related to increased risk of unilateral disease in their children (OR: 5.25, 95% CI: 1.14 to 24.16). Fathers exposed to at least one of the nine agents and who were ≥30 years of age were at increased risk of having a child diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma (OR: 6.59, 95% CI: 1.34 to 32.42). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a role for several hazardous occupational exposures in the development of childhood retinoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Omidakhsh
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Greta R. Bunin
- Retired from the Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Arupa Ganguly
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Nola Kennedy
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, USA
| | - Ondine S. von Ehrenstein
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Niklas Krause
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Julia E. Heck
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
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10
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Omidakhsh N, Ganguly A, Bunin GR, von Ehrenstein OS, Ritz B, Heck JE. Residential Pesticide Exposures in Pregnancy and the Risk of Sporadic Retinoblastoma: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group. Am J Ophthalmol 2017; 176:166-173. [PMID: 28131887 PMCID: PMC5376525 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine whether parental pesticide exposure contributes to the development of sporadic retinoblastoma. DESIGN Case-control study. METHODS Data were collected by a large multicenter study of sporadic retinoblastoma in which parents of 99 unilateral and 56 bilateral age-matched case-control pairs were interviewed by telephone. Retrospective exposure information was collected on the type, location, timing, and frequency of residential pesticide use. We used conditional logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios for maternal pesticide exposure in the month before or during pregnancy and to assess whether the type of product, and the circumstances under which it was applied, were associated with risk of disease. RESULTS Unilateral retinoblastoma was associated with parental insecticide use (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; confidence interval [CI], 1.1-6.7) and the use of professional lawn or landscape services (OR, 2.8; CI, 1.0-8.2). For bilateral disease we observed large point estimates for several exposures but the small number of cases rendered these results uninformative (ie, resulted in wide confidence intervals). Whether parents used the pesticide inside vs outside the home did not appear to modify risk estimates for unilateral retinoblastoma (OR, 2.5; CI, 0.9-7.0 vs OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0-6.5), nor did the type, frequency, timing related to pregnancy, or applicator of pesticide used influence estimates to an appreciable degree for disease. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that parental pesticide exposure before or during pregnancy may play a role in the development of childhood retinoblastoma. Retrospectively collected exposure data introduces the possibility of recall bias; therefore, results should be interpreted cautiously until additional studies are conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Omidakhsh
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Arupa Ganguly
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Greta R Bunin
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ondine S von Ehrenstein
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Julia E Heck
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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11
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Pesticides: an update of human exposure and toxicity. Arch Toxicol 2016; 91:549-599. [PMID: 27722929 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-016-1849-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 372] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pesticides are a family of compounds which have brought many benefits to mankind in the agricultural, industrial, and health areas, but their toxicities in both humans and animals have always been a concern. Regardless of acute poisonings which are common for some classes of pesticides like organophosphoruses, the association of chronic and sub-lethal exposure to pesticides with a prevalence of some persistent diseases is going to be a phenomenon to which global attention has been attracted. In this review, incidence of various malignant, neurodegenerative, respiratory, reproductive, developmental, and metabolic diseases in relation to different routes of human exposure to pesticides such as occupational, environmental, residential, parental, maternal, and paternal has been systematically criticized in different categories of pesticide toxicities like carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, pulmonotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity, and metabolic toxicity. A huge body of evidence exists on the possible role of pesticide exposures in the elevated incidence of human diseases such as cancers, Alzheimer, Parkinson, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, asthma, bronchitis, infertility, birth defects, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, diabetes, and obesity. Most of the disorders are induced by insecticides and herbicides most notably organophosphorus, organochlorines, phenoxyacetic acids, and triazine compounds.
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12
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Choi J, Polcher A, Joas A. Systematic literature review on Parkinson's disease and Childhood Leukaemia and mode of actions for pesticides. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.2903/sp.efsa.2016.en-955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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13
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Abdolahi A, van Wijngaarden E, McClean MD, Herrick RF, Allen JG, Ganguly A, Bunin GR. A case-control study of paternal occupational exposures and the risk of childhood sporadic bilateral retinoblastoma. Occup Environ Med 2013; 70:372-9. [PMID: 23503471 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2012-101062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk factors for sporadic (ie, non-familial) retinoblastoma remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVES We examined the relationship between paternal occupational exposures from jobs held 10 years and 1 year prior to conception and the risk of sporadic bilateral retinoblastoma in children. METHODS Paternal occupational data were obtained for 198 incident cases diagnosed with sporadic bilateral retinoblastoma from January 1998 to May 2006 and 245 referral-based controls from the case child's relatives and friends who were matched to 135 of the cases on birth year. Industrial hygienists independently assigned exposure scores for nine agents. Adjusted ORs and 95% CIs were computed using logistic regression models, using the full sample of cases and controls as well as subset of cases with matched controls only. RESULTS There was some indication of an elevated risk associated with paternal pesticide exposure in the 10 years prior to conception (OR=1.64; 95% CI 1.08 to 2.50) as well as in the year before conception (OR=2.12; 95% CI 1.25 to 3.61). However, results for pesticide exposure were inconsistent and varied by analysis approach. An increased risk was also observed for non-welding metal exposure during the 10 years prior to conception in the full (OR=1.35; 95% CI 0.86 to 2.12) and matched (OR=1.40; 95% CI 0.82 to 2.37) samples, but not in the year before conception. Exposure-response trends were observed for pesticides and non-welding metal exposures. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a potential role of paternal occupational exposures to non-welding metals and perhaps pesticides in the aetiology of childhood retinoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Abdolahi
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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15
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Answers to critics: Why there is a long term toxicity due to a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize and to a Roundup herbicide. Food Chem Toxicol 2013; 53:476-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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16
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Mostafalou S, Abdollahi M. Pesticides and human chronic diseases: evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2013; 268:157-77. [PMID: 23402800 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2013.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 606] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Along with the wide use of pesticides in the world, the concerns over their health impacts are rapidly growing. There is a huge body of evidence on the relation between exposure to pesticides and elevated rate of chronic diseases such as different types of cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson, Alzheimer, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), birth defects, and reproductive disorders. There is also circumstantial evidence on the association of exposure to pesticides with some other chronic diseases like respiratory problems, particularly asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, chronic nephropathies, autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematous and rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and aging. The common feature of chronic disorders is a disturbance in cellular homeostasis, which can be induced via pesticides' primary action like perturbation of ion channels, enzymes, receptors, etc., or can as well be mediated via pathways other than the main mechanism. In this review, we present the highlighted evidence on the association of pesticide's exposure with the incidence of chronic diseases and introduce genetic damages, epigenetic modifications, endocrine disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response (UPR), impairment of ubiquitin proteasome system, and defective autophagy as the effective mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Mostafalou
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Case-control study of paternal occupation and childhood leukaemia in Great Britain, 1962-2006. Br J Cancer 2012; 107:1652-9. [PMID: 22968649 PMCID: PMC3493752 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2012.359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Paternal occupational exposures have been proposed as a risk factor for childhood leukaemia. This study investigates possible associations between paternal occupational exposure and childhood leukaemia in Great Britain. Methods: The National Registry of Childhood Tumours provided all cases of childhood leukaemia born and diagnosed in Great Britain between 1962 and 2006. Controls were matched on sex, period of birth and birth registration subdistrict. Fathers’ occupations were assigned to 1 or more of 33 exposure groups. Social class was derived from father’s occupation at the time of the child’s birth. Results: A total of 16 764 cases of childhood leukaemia were ascertained. One exposure group, paternal social contact, was associated with total childhood leukaemia (odds ratio 1.14, 1.05–1.23); this association remained significant when adjusted for social class. The subtypes lymphoid leukaemia (LL) and acute myeloid leukaemia showed increased risk with paternal exposure to social contact before adjustment for social class. Risk of other leukaemias was significantly increased by exposure to electromagnetic fields, persisting after adjustment for social class. For total leukaemia, the risks for exposure to lead and exhaust fumes were significantly <1. Occupationally derived social class was associated with risk of LL, with the risk being increased in the higher social classes. Conclusion: Our results showed some support for a positive association between childhood leukaemia risk and paternal occupation involving social contact. Additionally, LL risk increased with higher paternal occupational social class.
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18
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MacCarthy A, Bunch KJ, Fear NT, King JC, Vincent TJ, Murphy MFG. Paternal occupation and neuroblastoma: a case-control study based on cancer registry data for Great Britain 1962-1999. Br J Cancer 2010; 102:615-9. [PMID: 20068570 PMCID: PMC2822941 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2009] [Revised: 11/10/2009] [Accepted: 11/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma is the most common malignancy of infancy but little is known about the aetiological factors associated with the development of this tumour. A number of epidemiological studies have previously examined the risk associated with paternal occupational exposures but most have involved small numbers of cases. Here we present results from a large, population-based, case-control study of subjects diagnosed over a period of more than 30 years and recorded in the national registry of childhood tumours in Great Britain. METHODS A case-control study of paternal occupational data for 2920 cases of neuroblastoma, born and diagnosed in Great Britain between 1962 and 1999 and recorded in the National Registry of Childhood Tumours, and 2920 controls from the general population matched on sex, date of birth and birth registration district. Paternal occupations at birth, of the case or control child, were grouped by inferred exposure using an occupational exposure classification scheme. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), for each of the 32 paternal occupational exposure groups. RESULTS Only paternal occupational exposure to leather was statistically significantly associated with neuroblastoma, OR=5.00 (95% CI 1.07-46.93). However, this association became non-significant on correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSION Our findings do not support the hypothesis that paternal occupational exposure is an important aetiological factor for neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- A MacCarthy
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, University of Oxford, Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK.
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19
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Eyre R, Feltbower RG, Mubwandarikwa E, Eden TOB, McNally RJQ. Epidemiology of bone tumours in children and young adults. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009; 53:941-52. [PMID: 19618453 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.22194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Although the epidemiology of malignant bone tumours in children and young adults has been explored, no definitive causation of any specific tumour has yet been identified. We performed a literature review (1970-2008) to find all papers covering possible aetiological factors involved in the development of bone tumours in children and young adults. Several associations have been reported with some consistency: the presence of hernias and Ewing sarcoma; high fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma; and parental farming and residence on a farm, younger age at puberty and family history of cancer for all bone tumours, especially osteosarcoma. Clearly further research is needed to confirm or refute these putative risk factors. It is likely that studies of gene-environment interactions may prove to be the most fruitful of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Eyre
- Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
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20
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Fear NT, Vincent TJ, King JC, MacCarthy A, Bunch KJ, Murphy MFG. Wilms tumour and paternal occupation: an analysis of data from the National Registry of Childhood Tumours. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009; 53:28-32. [PMID: 19343797 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.22013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wilms tumour is an embryonal malignant tumour that accounts for 90% of childhood kidney cancers. Parental occupational exposure has been hypothesised to be a cause of childhood Wilms tumour, in particular exposure to pesticides. However, the findings are inconsistent. PROCEDURE We have examined the association between paternal occupational exposures and Wilms tumour using birth registration data for cases (n = 2568) from the National Registry of Childhood Tumours (NRCT) and matched controls (n = 2,568) drawn from the general population of Great Britain. Paternal occupation, as recorded at the time of birth, was used to infer "occupational exposure" using a previously defined occupational exposure classification scheme. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were generated using conditional logistic regression with exact methods to estimate the association between each paternal occupational exposure group and childhood Wilms tumour. RESULTS All odds ratios were close to 1.00 and no statistically significant associations were observed. CONCLUSION The results of this study failed to support any of the previously identified associations between paternal occupation and childhood Wilms tumour.
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Affiliation(s)
- N T Fear
- Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Weston Education Centre, London, United Kingdom.
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21
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Shim YK, Mlynarek SP, van Wijngaarden E. Parental exposure to pesticides and childhood brain cancer: U.S. Atlantic coast childhood brain cancer study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2009; 117:1002-6. [PMID: 19590697 PMCID: PMC2702394 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2008] [Accepted: 02/13/2009] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The etiology of childhood brain cancer remains largely unknown. However, previous studies have yielded suggestive associations with parental pesticide use. OBJECTIVES We aimed to evaluate parental exposure to pesticides at home and on the job in relation to the occurrence of brain cancer in children. METHODS We included 526 one-to-one-matched case-control pairs. Brain cancer cases were diagnosed at < 10 years of age, and were identified from statewide cancer registries of four U.S. Atlantic Coast states. We selected controls by random digit dialing. We conducted computer-assisted telephone interviews with mothers. Using information on residential pesticide use and jobs held by fathers during the 2-year period before the child's birth, we assessed potential exposure to insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. For each job, two raters independently classified the probability and intensity of exposure; 421 pairs were available for final analysis. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using conditional logistic regression, after adjustment for maternal education. RESULTS A significant risk of astrocytoma was associated with exposures to herbicides from residential use (OR = 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0). Combining parental exposures to herbicides from both residential and occupational sources, the elevated risk remained significant (OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-3.1). We observed little association with primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) for any of the pesticide classes or exposure sources considered. CONCLUSIONS Our observation is consistent with a previous literature reporting suggestive associations between parental exposure to pesticides and risk of astrocytoma in offspring but not PNET. However, these findings should be viewed in light of limitations in exposure assessment and effective sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youn K Shim
- Division of Health Studies, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3737, USA.
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22
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McNally RJ, Bithell JF, Vincent TJ, Murphy MF. Space-time clustering of childhood cancer around the residence at birth. Int J Cancer 2009; 124:449-55. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.23927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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23
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Workplace exposures and protective practices of Hispanic warehouse workers. J Immigr Minor Health 2008; 11:122-30. [PMID: 18543104 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-008-9156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2007] [Accepted: 05/27/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study was undertaken to assess workplace hazards and protective practices among Hispanic men and women working post-harvest in asparagus, apple and pear packaging warehouses. METHODS Three focus groups were conducted in July 2003 with 25 workers (20 women, 5 men) recruited from communities in the Yakima Valley, Washington. Focus group content informed the design of an in-person structured interview administered to 50 additional warehouse workers from August to November 2006. RESULTS Focus group participants reported difficult working conditions, exposure to chemicals, adverse health effects and use of work and home protective practices to minimize exposures for themselves and their families. Structured interview participants reported few workplace exposures to chemicals although many reported engaging in workplace and home protective practices. DISCUSSION Findings from this research can direct initial efforts to determine if and how interventions for warehouse workers may be designed to protect against hazardous workplace exposures.
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Puumala SE, Soler JT, Johnson KJ, Spector LG. Birth characteristics and Wilms tumor in Minnesota. Int J Cancer 2008; 122:1368-73. [PMID: 18033684 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.23275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Wilms tumor (WT) is a childhood kidney cancer with the highest rate of occurrence before the age of 2. Since it is rare, previous research has been limited and few risk factors have been established. We used a case-cohort design to examine the influence of birth characteristics on occurrence of WT in Minnesota. A total of 2,188 cases of cancer diagnosed in children aged 28 days to 14 years from 1988 to 2004 were identified using the Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System (MCSS). For each case, 4 children were randomly selected from Minnesota birth records during 1976-2004, frequency matched on birth year. Thus, a total of 8,752 children comprised the subcohort for the study, who in this analysis, served as comparison to the 138 cases of WT. Study variables included parental demographics, maternal pregnancy history and conditions and health and conditions of the child at birth. Associations with WT were assessed using hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated from stratified Cox regression models. We found an increased risk of WT for children who were large for gestational age compared to those average for gestational age and for children with congenital abnormalities. There was also an increased risk for children with a birth weight > 4,000 g compared to those with a birth weight between 2,500 and 4,000 g. All other factors examined showed no association with WT. This study contributes to the mounting evidence that children with large size at birth have an increased risk of WT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Puumala
- Division of Epidemiology/Clinical Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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25
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Lifestyle-related factors and environmental agents causing cancer: an overview. Biomed Pharmacother 2007; 61:640-58. [PMID: 18055160 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2007.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2007] [Accepted: 10/10/2007] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing incidence of a variety of cancers after the Second World War confronts scientists with the question of their origin. In Western countries, expansion and ageing of the population as well as progress in cancer detection using new diagnostic and screening tests cannot fully account for the observed growing incidence of cancer. Our hypothesis is that environmental factors play a more important role in cancer genesis than it is usually agreed. (1) Over the last 2-3 decades, alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking in men have significantly decreased in Western Europe and North America. (2) Obesity is increasing in many countries, but the growing incidence of cancer also concerns cancers not related to obesity nor to other known lifestyle-related factors. (3) There is evidence that the environment has changed over the time period preceding the recent rise in cancer incidence, and that this change, still continuing, included the accumulation of many new carcinogenic factors in the environment. (4) Genetic susceptibility to cancer due to genetic polymorphism cannot have changed over one generation and actually favours the role of exogenous factors through gene-environment interactions. (5) Age is not the unique factor to be considered since the rising incidence of cancers is seen across all age categories, including children, and adolescents. (6) The fetus is specifically vulnerable to exogenous factors. A fetal exposure during a critical time window may explain why current epidemiological studies may still be negative in adults. We therefore propose that the involuntary exposure to many carcinogens in the environment, including microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and parasites), radiations (radioactivity, UV and pulsed electromagnetic fields) and many xenochemicals, may account for the recent growing incidence of cancer and therefore that the risk attributable to environmental carcinogen may be far higher than it is usually agreed. Of major concern are: outdoor air pollution by carbon particles associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; indoor air pollution by environmental tobacco smoke, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds such as benzene and 1,3 butadiene, which may particularly affect children and food contamination by food additives and by carcinogenic contaminants such as nitrates, pesticides, dioxins and other organochlorines. In addition, carcinogenic metals and metalloids, pharmaceutical medicines and some ingredients and contaminants in cosmetics may be involved. Although the risk fraction attributable to environmental factors is still unknown, this long list of carcinogenic and especially mutagenic factors supports our working hypothesis according to which numerous cancers may in fact be caused by the recent modification of our environment.
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Belpomme D, Irigaray P, Hardell L, Clapp R, Montagnier L, Epstein S, Sasco AJ. The multitude and diversity of environmental carcinogens. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2007; 105:414-29. [PMID: 17692309 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2007.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2007] [Revised: 06/25/2007] [Accepted: 07/05/2007] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
We have recently proposed that lifestyle-related factors, screening and aging cannot fully account for the present overall growing incidence of cancer. In order to propose the concept that in addition to lifestyle related factors, exogenous environmental factors may play a more important role in carcinogenesis than it is expected, and may therefore account for the growing incidence of cancer, we overview herein environmental factors, rated as certainly or potentially carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). We thus analyze the carcinogenic effect of microorganisms (including viruses), radiations (including radioactivity, UV and pulsed electromagnetic fields) and xenochemicals. Chemicals related to environmental pollution appear to be of critical importance, since they can induce occupational cancers as well as other cancers. Of major concerns are: outdoor air pollution by carbon particles associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; indoor air pollution by environmental tobacco smoke, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds such as benzene and 1,3 butadiene, which may particularly affect children, and food pollution by food additives and by carcinogenic contaminants such as nitrates, pesticides, dioxins and other organochlorines. In addition, carcinogenic metals and metalloids, pharmaceutical medicines and cosmetics may be involved. Although the risk fraction attributable to environmental factors is still unknown, this long list of carcinogenic and especially mutagenic factors supports our working hypothesis according to which numerous cancers may in fact be caused by the recent modification of our environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Belpomme
- Department of Medical Oncology, European Hospital Georges Pompidou (HEGP), University of Paris, F-75015Paris, France.
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Bassil KL, Vakil C, Sanborn M, Cole DC, Kaur JS, Kerr KJ. Cancer health effects of pesticides: systematic review. CANADIAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN MEDECIN DE FAMILLE CANADIEN 2007; 53:1704-1711. [PMID: 17934034 PMCID: PMC2231435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review literature documenting associations between pesticide use and cancer. DATA SOURCES We searched MEDLINE, PreMedline, CancerLit, and LILACS to find studies published between 1992 and 2003 on non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and 8 solid-tumour cancers: brain, breast, kidney, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and stomach cancer. STUDY SELECTION Each title and abstract was assessed for relevance; disagreements among reviewers were resolved by consensus. Studies were assessed by a team of 2 trained reviewers and rated based on methodologic quality according to a 5-page assessment tool and a global assessment scale. Studies rated below a global score of 4 out of 7 were excluded. SYNTHESIS Most studies on non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia showed positive associations with pesticide exposure. Some showed dose-response relationships, and a few were able to identify specific pesticides. Children's and pregnant women's exposure to pesticides was positively associated with the cancers studied in some studies, as was parents' exposure to pesticides at work. Many studies showed positive associations between pesticide exposure and solid tumours. The most consistent associations were found for brain and prostate cancer. An association was also found between kidney cancer in children and their parents' exposure to pesticides at work. These associations were most consistent for high and prolonged exposures. Specific weaknesses and inherent limitations in epidemiologic studies were noted, particularly around ascertaining whether and how much exposure had taken place. CONCLUSION Our findings support attempts to reduce exposure to pesticides. Reductions are likely best achieved through decreasing pesticide use for cosmetic (non-commercial) purposes (where children might be exposed) and on the job.
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Affiliation(s)
- K L Bassil
- Family Medicine Centre, Queen's University, 220 Bagot St, Kingston, ON.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epidemiological studies have reported associations between childhood cancer and either parental or child exposure to pesticides. Reviews have been published in 1997, 1998 and 2006 where the evidence was found suggestive but not conclusive. The present review is an extended update of the latter one. METHODS The PubMed database was searched to identify published studies on this topic issued between 1998 and 2006. RESULTS Thirty-six new studies have been identified for this review. Some cohort studies and the majority of the case-control studies suggest an increased risk for the cancer types studied, associated with exposure to pesticides in at least one of a large variety of exposure categories. However, the evidence is conflicting with regard to cancer types as well as to causative factors across studies. The major shortcomings concern exposure assessment, where, e. g., "farming" is treated equal to "exposure to pesticides", disregarding other possible exposures, e.g., to biological or infectious agents, and hitherto unidentified lifestyle factors. Also, many exposure categories used, mainly in case-control studies, lack chemical or toxicological plausibility. In most studies exposures were categorized as "ever vs. never", with little regard of exposure intensity or duration. CONCLUSIONS The available literature does not allow firm conclusions with regard to pesticides and any type of childhood cancer. But even if the reported associations were true, exposure to pesticides could not explain the vast majority of childhood cancer cases. Investing in the acquisition and critical review of exposure information appears to be the crucial step for causal assessment in future research. However, focusing on the presence of pesticides, and not asking the question why they were used, might mask relevant associations to other causative agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Nasterlack
- Occupational Medicine and Health Protection Department, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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Jurewicz J, Hanke W. Exposure to pesticides and childhood cancer risk: has there been any progress in epidemiological studies? Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2007; 19:152-69. [PMID: 17252666 DOI: 10.2478/v10001-006-0024-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In Europe and the United States, cancer is a major cause of death among children aged 5-14 years. The role of environmental exposure to pesticides in carcinogenesis, although strongly postulated, is still unknown. Pesticides have been used since the early days of modern agriculture. They are biologically active compounds, which may pose health risk during or after their use. MATERIALS AND METHODS Epidemiological studies focused on childhood cancer and exposure to pesticides, conducted over the last seven years, were identified through searching PUBMED, MEDLINE and EBSCO literature bases. From each study, the following information was abstracted: type of cancer, type of exposure, study design, risk estimate, and study population. This review will try to answer the question on whether any further progress in epidemiology of childhood cancer due to pesticide exposure has been made. RESULTS Leukemia, brain cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and neuroblastoma are mentioned as potentially associated with pesticide exposure among children. Despite an increasing evidence in support of this finding, it is still limited because of the weakness of research methodology. The substantial weak points of numerous epidemiological studies of pesticide-related health effects are problems faced in exposure assessment, small numbers of exposed subjects, a limited number of studies focused on the majority of cancers, and difficulties in estimating critical windows of exposure. CONCLUSION In the light of existing, although still limited evidence of adverse effects of pesticide exposure, it is necessary to reduce exposure to pesticides. The literature review suggests a great need to increase awareness among people occupationally or environmentally exposed to pesticides about their potential negative influence on health of their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jurewicz
- Department of Environmental Epdemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lódź, Poland.
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Cooney MA, Daniels JL, Ross JA, Breslow NE, Pollock BH, Olshan AF. Household pesticides and the risk of Wilms tumor. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2007; 115:134-7. [PMID: 17366833 PMCID: PMC1797847 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous epidemiologic studies have suggested that exposure to pesticides in utero and during early childhood may increase the risk for development of childhood cancer, including Wilms tumor, a childhood kidney tumor. OBJECTIVES In this analysis we evaluated the role of residential pesticide exposure in relation to the risk of Wilms tumor in children using data from a North American case-control study. METHODS The National Wilms Tumor Study Group (NWTSG) collected information on exposure to residential pesticides from the month before pregnancy through the diagnosis reference date using detailed phone interviews from 523 case mothers and 517 controls frequency matched on child's age and geographic region and identified by list-assisted random digit dialing. Pesticides were grouped according to type of pesticide and where they were used. RESULTS A slightly increased risk of Wilms tumor was found among children of mothers who reported insecticide use [odds ratio (OR) = 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-1.8; adjusted for education, income, and the matching variables]. Results from all other categories of pesticides were generally close to the null. CONCLUSIONS This study is the largest case-control study of Wilms tumor to date. We were unable to confirm earlier reports of an increased risk for Wilms tumor among those exposed to residential pesticides during pregnancy through early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen A. Cooney
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Julie L. Daniels
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Julie A. Ross
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Norman E. Breslow
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brad H. Pollock
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew F. Olshan
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Address correspondence to A.F. Olshan, Department of Epidemiology, CB#7435, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435 USA. Telephone: (919) 966-7424. Fax: (919) 966-2089. E-mail:
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Rao P, Quandt SA, Doran AM, Snively BM, Arcury TA. Pesticides in the Homes of Farmworkers. HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR 2006; 34:335-53. [PMID: 16740507 DOI: 10.1177/1090198106288045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pesticide exposure has been linked with immediate and delayed health effects. Anyone who lives in a farmworker household may be exposed to pesticides. Studies with farmworkers have found generally low levels of awareness of pesticide exposure and prevention. Less is known about the perceptions of nonfarmworkers living with farmworkers. This article presents the results of 41 in-depth interviews conducted with Latino women in farmworker households regarding their knowledge of pesticides and perceptions of risk to their children's health. Their perceptions and behavior differ from scientific understanding and policy recommendations for exposure management, resulting in behaviors that may increase children's risk of exposure and subsequent health problems. Because the level at which exposure becomes harmful remains a subject of scientific debate, the wisest course of action is to minimize exposure (the precautionary principle). Families living in farmworker households would benefit from health education programs that target their specific needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Rao
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, NC 27157-1084, USA
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Rao P, Gentry AL, Quandt SA, Davis SW, Snively BM, Arcury TA. Pesticide safety behaviors in Latino farmworker family households. Am J Ind Med 2006; 49:271-80. [PMID: 16550565 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies to assess pesticide exposure of individuals living in agricultural settings suggest that farmworkers create a "take-home" pathway from the fields to the home that increases exposure risk for non-farmworker household members. METHODS A survey was conducted with 142 Latino women in farmworker family households in North Carolina to identify predictors of adherence to pesticide safety behaviors that may affect take-home exposure risk. Behaviors included changing work clothes before entering the house, storing and washing contaminated work clothes separately from family clothing, and showering upon returning home. RESULTS The number of farmworkers in the household was negatively associated with adherence to recommended changing, storing, and showering behaviors. Most workers followed recommended laundry procedures for work clothes. CONCLUSIONS Results support existing evidence for a take-home pathway for pesticide residues in homes with several farmworkers. Pesticide safety education needs to reinforce behaviors that reduce take-home exposure in farmworker households.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Rao
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1084, USA
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33
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Nasterlack M. Do pesticides cause childhood cancer? Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2006; 79:536-44. [PMID: 16463063 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-006-0086-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2005] [Accepted: 01/05/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epidemiological studies have reported associations between childhood cancer and either parental or child exposure to pesticides. Reviews have been published in 1997 and 1998, where the evidence was found suggestive but not conclusive. An update of the current state of knowledge is warranted. METHODS A literature search has been conducted to identify and evaluate new research results on this topic issued between 1998 and 2004. RESULTS Eighteen new studies have been identified for this review. Collectively, the studies suggest an increase in the risk of different cancer types associated with exposure to pesticides. However, the evidence is conflicting with regard to cancer types as well as to causative factors across studies. The major shortcomings concern exposure assessment, where, e.g., "farming" is treated equal to "exposure to pesticides," disregarding other possible exposures, e.g., to biological or infectious agents, and hitherto unidentified lifestyle factors. Also, many exposure questionnaires used in case-control studies are based on broad and sometimes implausible categories. In most studies exposures were categorized as "ever vs. never," with no regard for exposure intensity or duration. CONCLUSIONS The available literature does not allow firm conclusions with regard to pesticides and any type of childhood cancer. Investing in the acquisition and critical review of exposure information appears to be the crucial step for causal assessment in future research. However, focusing on the presence of pesticides, and not asking the question why they were used, might mask relevant associations to other causative agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Nasterlack
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Health Protection, BASF AG, 67056, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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Tsai J, Kaye WE, Bove FJ. Wilms’ tumor and exposures to residential and occupational hazardous chemicals. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2006; 209:57-64. [PMID: 16373202 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2005.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2005] [Revised: 08/12/2005] [Accepted: 09/02/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This case-control study examines the association between residential and occupational exposures to hazardous chemicals and the risk of Wilms' tumor. The study included 303 cases recruited from six state cancer registries, who were diagnosed between January 1, 1992 and December 31, 1995. A total of 575 controls selected through random digit dialing were frequency matched to the cases. A standard questionnaire was administered to participants during a telephone interview. Parental residential addresses and locations of US Environmental Protection Agency National Priority List (NPL) sites were geocoded and analyzed, along with occupational exposure information. There were no cases of Wilms' tumor found in individuals living within one-half mile distance of a hazardous waste site. However, elevated odds ratios were found for using hairdressing chemicals, motor oil, paint, paint stripper, and pesticides during the pregnancy term and during the 2-year period prior to birth. The findings do not support the hypothesis that Wilms' tumor is associated with residing near an NPL site.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Tsai
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop-E86, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Bouvier G, Seta N, Vigouroux-Villard A, Blanchard O, Momas I. Insecticide urinary metabolites in nonoccupationally exposed populations. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2005; 8:485-512. [PMID: 16188732 DOI: 10.1080/10937400591007284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The wide use of insecticides in agricultural and residential settings has resulted in environmental contamination, leading to increased concern about exposure of the population and possible chronic effects on health. This review summarizes the studies that have measured urinary metabolites to assess exposure of nonoccupationally exposed population to nonpersistent insecticides, organophosphates (OPs), carbamates, and pyrethroids. Electronic search yielded 36 different studies performed in a small number of countries for the last 20 years, most of them dealing with OP urinary metabolites. Dialkylphosphates, specific metabolites of OPs, and specific metabolites of pyrethroids or carbamates, have been investigated. Results indicate that a wide range of the population, adults as well as children, is exposed to OPs and to a lesser extent to pyrethroids and carbamates. Levels are one to several orders of magnitude lower than those in occupational studies. The contribution of the different sources of insecticide exposure remains uncertain. Food contamination, as well as environmental and residential contamination, appears to influence exposure, especially in the case of children. Residential use of insecticides, having pets, and living near gardens or fields have all been inconstantly related to higher urinary metabolite levels. Occupational exposure of the parents, especially of the agricultural workers, seems to be a predictive factor of higher exposure of their children. More studies investigating every source and pathway of exposure of randomized population samples and in other countries than the United States, in particular in developing countries, could improve our knowledge of factors influencing insecticide exposure of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Bouvier
- Laboratoire d'Hygiéne et de Santé Publique, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université René Descartes, Paris, France.
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Lima A, Vega L. Methyl-parathion and organophosphorous pesticide metabolites modify the activation status and interleukin-2 secretion of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Toxicol Lett 2005; 158:30-8. [PMID: 15993741 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2005.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2004] [Revised: 02/21/2005] [Accepted: 02/24/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Organophosphorous (OP) compounds are the most commonly used pesticides. There are reports on susceptibility to the toxic effects of OP pesticides, but no information exists regarding the toxicity of their metabolites. To determine the metabolites' contribution to the OP pesticide immunotoxic effects, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were treated with the parent compound methyl-parathion (MP) and the following OP pesticide alkyl-phosphorous metabolites: diethylphosphate (DEP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP), dimethylphosphate (DMP), and dimethyldithiophosphate (DMDTP). Activation and function of the PBMCs were examined by assessment of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced proliferative response, interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion, and CD25 and CD69 expression. Treatments with DMP, DEP, DETP and DEDTP for 48h produced significant toxicity in human PBMCs, but did not affect their proliferative response to PHA. Only MP reduced cell proliferation by 30%. DEDTP decreased the proportion of PBMCs expressing CD25. This effect was associated with a reduction of IL-2 secretion, which was also reduced by MP and DMP treatments. In contrast, DETP and DEDTP treatments increased the expression of CD69. DMP, DETP and DEDTP were more consistently involved in modulating the PBMC response to PHA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Lima
- Laboratorio de Citogenética e Inmunotoxicología, Sección Externa de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados-IPN, Avenida IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, México City 07360, D.F., Mexico
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Ali R, Yu CL, Wu MT, Ho CK, Pan BJ, Smith T, Christiani DC. A case-control study of parental occupation, leukemia, and brain tumors in an industrial city in Taiwan. J Occup Environ Med 2004; 46:985-92. [PMID: 15354065 DOI: 10.1097/01.jom.0000138913.75380.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a case-control study in an industrial city in Taiwan to determine whether parents of newly diagnosed patients who were younger than 30 years old with leukemia or brain tumors or the patients themselves were more likely to have been employed in certain occupations or industries. Job histories were collected for parents (and for subjects if they worked) on 103 newly diagnosed cases of leukemia, 74 newly diagnosed cases of brain tumors, and 417 controls matched for age and sex. All jobs since the age of 16 that the subjects held for more than 6 months, a total of approximately 4,000 jobs, were coded for occupation and industry according the standard four-digit system used in Taiwan. Matched-pair analyses were performed comparing cases and controls among all jobs held by subjects and both parents using four-digit occupation and industry codes. Separate analyses also were performed for parental jobs held during the preconception, perinatal, and postnatal periods. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for subject smoking, parental smoking, and exposure to medical radiation. Certain industry and occupation four-digit codes were significantly associated with increased odds ratios of childhood tumors. Including work during any or all periods, leukemias were more common in children of fathers who had worked (1) as wood treaters (adjusted OR 16.03, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.77-145.5), and (2) as building finishers and related trades workers (adjusted OR 4.08, 95% CI = 1.12-14.8), whereas brain tumors were more common in children of mothers who had worked (1) in electronic parts and components manufacturing (adjusted OR 13.78, 95% CI = 1.47-129.0) and 2) as textile and garment workers (adjusted OR 7.25, 95% CI = 1.42-37.0), as well as in subjects who had worked with certain electronic parts and components (adjusted OR 28.67, 95% CI = 2.88-285.6). Leukemias were more common in children of fathers who had worked in the preconception period (1) as wood treaters (adjusted OR 12.17, 95% CI = 1.36-109.2), (2) as building finishers and related trades workers (adjusted OR 4.08, 95% CI = 1.12-14.8), (3) as electronic equipment assemblers (adjusted OR 4.56, 95% CI = I 1.05-19.9), and (4) as certain other assemblers (adjusted OR 10.24, 95% CI = 1.02-102.6). In addition, leukemias were more common in children of fathers who had worked in the perinatal period (1) as wood treaters (adjusted OR 13.08, 95% CI = 1.36-125.5) and (2) as building finishers and related trades workers (adjusted OR 4.51, 95% CI = 1.04-19.6). Brain tumors were more common in children of mothers who had worked in the preconception period (1) in electronic parts and components manufacturing (adjusted OR 11.81, 95% CI = 1.20-116.3), and (2) as textile and garment workers (adjusted OR 7.25, 95% CI = 1.18-31.0).
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbie Ali
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Coronado GD, Thompson B, Strong L, Griffith WC, Islas I. Agricultural task and exposure to organophosphate pesticides among farmworkers. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2004; 112:142-7. [PMID: 14754567 PMCID: PMC1241822 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.6412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about pesticide exposure among farmworkers, and even less is known about the exposure associated with performing specific farm tasks. Using a random sample of 213 farmworkers in 24 communities and labor camps in eastern Washington State, we examined the association between occupational task and organophosphate (OP) pesticide residues in dust and OP metabolite concentrations in urine samples of adult farmworkers and their children. The data are from a larger study that sought to test a culturally appropriate intervention to break the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure. Commonly reported farm tasks were harvesting or picking (79.2%), thinning (64.2%), loading plants or produce (42.2%), planting or transplanting (37.6%), and pruning (37.2%). Mixing, loading, or applying pesticide formulations was reported by 20% of our sample. Workers who thinned were more likely than those who did not to have detectable levels of azinphos-methyl in their house dust (92.1% vs. 72.7%; p = 0.001) and vehicle dust (92.6% vs. 76.5%; p = 0.002). Thinning was associated with higher urinary pesticide metabolite concentrations in children (91.9% detectable vs. 81.3%; p = 0.02) but not in adults. Contrary to expectation, workers who reported mixing, loading, or applying pesticide formulations had lower detectable levels of pesticide residues in their house or vehicle dust, compared with those who did not perform these job tasks, though the differences were not significant. Future research should evaluate workplace protective practices of fieldworkers and the adequacy of reentry intervals for pesticides used during thinning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria D Coronado
- Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
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Olshan AF, van Wijngaarden E. Paternal occupation and childhood cancer. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2004; 518:147-61. [PMID: 12817683 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-9190-4_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Olshan
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, USA.
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McKinney PA, Fear NT, Stockton D. Parental occupation at periconception: findings from the United Kingdom Childhood Cancer Study. Occup Environ Med 2003; 60:901-9. [PMID: 14634180 PMCID: PMC1740441 DOI: 10.1136/oem.60.12.901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To study the risk of childhood cancer in relation to parental occupation and related exposures. METHODS Self reported occupational data from mothers and fathers of 3838 children with cancer and 7629 control children were analysed. Odds ratios were calculated for 31 "occupational groups" by parent, diagnostic group (leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), central nervous system tumours, and other cancers) and time of exposure (periconception, birth, and diagnosis). RESULTS Findings did not support the hypothesis that occupational exposure of fathers to ionising radiation increases the risk of childhood cancer in their offspring. Specific examination of periconceptual chemical exposures showed small but statistically significant increased risks for leukaemia and ALL among children whose fathers were exposed to exhaust fumes, driving, and/or inhaled particulate hydrocarbons. In the remaining analyses, a fourfold increase in the risk of other cancers was observed among the children of fathers working with leather but based on small numbers. Both maternal and paternal exposure to textile dust was related to an increased risk of other cancers. CONCLUSION Results failed to produce any strong evidence to link parental occupational exposures with an increased risk of childhood cancer. No relation was found for paternal periconceptual exposure to ionising radiation. The consistency of the associations observed between childhood leukaemia and paternal occupational exposure to exhaust fumes, driving, and/or inhaled particulate hydrocarbons at periconception suggest a small risk for vehicle related exhaust. However, other explanations cannot be excluded and further research into the nature of the associations is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A McKinney
- Information and Statistics Division of the CSA for NHS Scotland, Trinity Park House, Edinburgh, UK.
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Rodvall Y, Dich J, Wiklund K. Cancer risk in offspring of male pesticide applicators in agriculture in Sweden. Occup Environ Med 2003; 60:798-801. [PMID: 14504372 PMCID: PMC1740388 DOI: 10.1136/oem.60.10.798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To explore cancer risk from date of birth until 1994 in children, born 1958 or later, of Swedish male pesticide applicators. METHODS Records of male pesticide applicators licensed 1965-76 were linked to the Multigeneration Register. The records of their offspring were then linked to the Swedish Cancer Registry and the Cause of Death Register. RESULTS In total 51 cases of cancer were observed, which is significantly lower than the expected 73.0 (standardised incidence ratio (SIR) 0.70, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.92). Tumours of the nervous system was most common, amounting to 20 cases, 39% of all cancer cases (SIR 1.01, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.56). A statistically significant reduced risk for leukaemia was found (SIR 0.43, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.86). For non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, three cases were observed and 4.8 expected (SIR 0.63, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.83). For Hodgkin's disease, five cases were observed versus 3.7 expected (SIR 1.36, 95% CI 0.44 to 3.17). Two cases of testicular cancer were observed and 1.7 expected (SIR 1.19, 95% CI 0.13 to 4.28). CONCLUSIONS None of the a priori hypotheses of increased risk of tumours of the nervous system, kidney cancer, leukaemia, lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma, and testicular cancer in children of male pesticide applicators could be confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Rodvall
- Stockholm County Council and Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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McNally RJQ, Alston RD, Cairns DP, Eden OB, Kelsey AM, Birch JM. Geographical and ecological analyses of childhood Wilms' tumours and soft-tissue sarcomas in North West England. Eur J Cancer 2003; 39:1586-93. [PMID: 12855266 DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(03)00357-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this paper was to study the geographical distribution of Wilms' tumours (WT) and soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) for 0-14 year olds included in a population-based registry from North West England during 1976-2000. Standardised morbidity ratios (SMRs) were calculated. Relationships between incidence rates and small area (ward) population density, ethnic composition, deprivation index and urban-rural status were examined using Poisson regression. There was a non-linear relationship between WT incidence and population density (P=0.008), with a higher incidence associated with wards with low deprivation scores (P=0.02); and which included a greater proportion of whites (P=0.01). For STS, a higher incidence was associated with wards with low deprivation scores (P=0.04); and which were 'more rural/less urban' (P=0.03). These results are consistent with a role for localised environmental exposures, in combination with lifestyle factors, in the aetiology of WT. For STS, there is some evidence for the involvement of environmental and/or lifestyle factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Q McNally
- Cancer Research UK Paediatric and Familial Cancer Research Group, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust, Manchester, UK.
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McNally RJQ, Kelsey AM, Eden OB, Alexander FE, Cairns DP, Birch JM. Space-time clustering patterns in childhood solid tumours other than central nervous system tumours. Int J Cancer 2003; 103:253-8. [PMID: 12455041 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.10812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The aetiology of most childhood solid tumours (other than central nervous system [CNS] tumours) is unclear. To investigate whether certain environmental exposures may be involved, we have analysed for space-time clustering using population-based data from North West England for the period 1954-98. Knox tests for space-time interactions between cases were applied with fixed thresholds of close in space, <5 km, and close in time, <1 year apart. Addresses at birth and at diagnosis were used. Tests were repeated replacing geographical distance with distance to the Nth nearest neighbour. N was chosen such that the mean distance was 5 km. Data were also examined by a second order procedure based on K-functions. There was significant evidence of space-time clustering for Wilms' tumours (p = 0.03 and 0.04, using the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the Knox test; and p = 0.07 and 0.03, using the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the K-function method), and soft tissue sarcomas (p = 0.01, using both the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the Knox test; and p = 0.001 and 0.002, using the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the K-function method) based on time and location at birth, but not time and location at diagnosis. There was little or no evidence of space-time clustering amongst other diagnostic groups. These are the first results to demonstrate space-time clustering for childhood Wilms' tumours and soft tissue sarcomas. The results are consistent with environmental exposure hypotheses, relating to locations pre-natally or peri-natally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Q McNally
- Cancer Research UK Paediatric and Familial Cancer Research Group, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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Thompson B, Coronado G, Puschel K, Allen E. Identifying constituents to participate in a project to control pesticide exposure in children of farmworkers. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2001; 109 Suppl 3:443-8. [PMID: 11427394 PMCID: PMC1240563 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.01109s3443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Farmers in Washington State use pesticides to control harmful pests that might interfere with the quality of their products. Farmworkers, who are primarily responsible for thinning, harvesting, and other agricultural work, are often exposed to these pesticides and take home pesticide residues on their clothing, shoes, and skin, potentially exposing children in the household to pesticides. We designed a project to reduce children's exposure by using a community organization model. To better understand the community views regarding pesticide exposure, we conducted a qualitative community analysis. Two methods of data gathering were used to collect information. Individual interviews were conducted with some respondents, and small group discussions were held with others. Analysis indicated wide disparity among involved groups in their views on pesticides; however, a number of themes common to the majority of the constituents were identified and discussed with a community planning group. Because of the contention around pesticides, the group recommended every constituent participate in decision making. The group noted it was important to emphasize that the research project could provide scientific information on pesticide exposure to everyone in the Lower Yakima Valley. Our study demonstrates both the widely varying views of different constituents around the issue of pesticide exposure and common themes that can form the basis for collaboration and consensus on approaching the issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Thompson
- Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.
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Abdullaev FI, Rivera-Luna R, Roitenburd-Belacortu V, Espinosa-Aguirre J. Pattern of childhood cancer mortality in Mexico. Arch Med Res 2000; 31:526-31. [PMID: 11179590 DOI: 10.1016/s0188-4409(00)00094-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Public and governmental concern regarding increasing cancer mortality trends in children in Mexico led us to investigate the current situation of childhood cancer in this country, as well as to discuss the reasons for which no decline in total and childhood cancer mortality has been documented during the past decades. The data used for analysis of total cancer mortality and study of the trends in mortality of specific childhood cancer in Mexico were retrieved from official Mexican Cancer Mortality Statistics for the period of 1955-1995, as well as from the latest official death records of the Mexican National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics. Actual mortality rates from all sites of cancer in Mexico show a tendency to increase in adults and in children over the last decades. The mortality rate due to all malignant neoplasms in the Mexican population increased significantly, from 28.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1955 to 52.6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1995, whereas the rate of total mortality tended to decrease. The death rate among Mexican children under 15 years of age from all malignant neoplasms increased from 1980-1995 by 20.3%. Although these findings offer some support for the suggestion that socioeconomic factors and delayed diagnosis and treatment may be the major contributors to childhood cancer death rates in Mexico, other explanations cannot be excluded. Further and more detailed research into the nature of the influence of environmental exposures, geographical distribution-including rural vs. city life-and purely biological factors concerned with the cancer situation is warranted. Predictions indicate that the increase of both total and childhood cancer mortality will continue. The pattern in the epidemiology of childhood diseases is changing in view of better national health measures to control infectious diseases, diarrheas, and neonatal problems. All these measures would lead to an increase in the incidence of childhood cancer in children who previously died of other causes. Therefore, improved registry, early diagnosis, better knowledge of the epidemiologic pattern of childhood cancer, appropriate treatment, and greater resources are necessary to solve this emerging health problem in Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- F I Abdullaev
- Laboratorio de Oncología Experimental, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Anderson LM, Diwan BA, Fear NT, Roman E. Critical windows of exposure for children's health: cancer in human epidemiological studies and neoplasms in experimental animal models. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2000; 108 Suppl 3:573-94. [PMID: 10852857 PMCID: PMC1637809 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.00108s3573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In humans, cancer may be caused by genetics and environmental exposures; however, in the majority of instances the identification of the critical time window of exposure is problematic. The evidence for exposures occurring during the preconceptional period that have an association with childhood or adulthood cancers is equivocal. Agents definitely related to cancer in children, and adulthood if exposure occurs in utero, include: maternal exposure to ionizing radiation during pregnancy and childhood leukemia and certain other cancers, and maternal use of diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy and clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina of their daughters. The list of environmental exposures that occur during the perinatal/postnatal period with potential to increase the risk of cancer is lengthening, but evidence available to date is inconsistent and inconclusive. In animal models, preconceptional carcinogenesis has been demonstrated for a variety of types of radiation and chemicals, with demonstrated sensitivity for all stages from fetal gonocytes to postmeiotic germ cells. Transplacental and neonatal carcinogenesis show marked ontogenetic stage specificity in some cases. Mechanistic factors include the number of cells at risk, the rate of cell division, the development of differentiated characteristics including the ability to activate and detoxify carcinogens, the presence of stem cells, and possibly others. Usefulness for human risk estimation would be strengthened by the study of these factors in more than one species, and by a focus on specific human risk issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Anderson
- Laboratory of Comparative Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, FCRDC, Frederick, Maryland, USA.
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Abstract
This paper explores the hypothesis that there is an association between risk of childhood kidney cancer and paternal employment in occupations that have potential for exposure to herbicides and/or pesticides. In contrast to a previous study using paternal occupations at the time of the child's death, no significant association was found between such potential paternal exposures (using paternal occupations at the time of the child's birth) and the risk of cancer of the kidney in childhood (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.20-3.84). In addition, this paper quantifies the extent to which paternal occupational information on death certificates can be used as a proxy for paternal occupation at birth and how such misclassification could affect risk estimates. An example is given showing how a recently reported association between kidney cancer and paternal agricultural employment may have been overestimated as a result of the use of death certificate information.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Pearce
- Department of Child Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Royal Victoria Infirmary, UK.
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Simpson J, Roman E, Law G, Pannett B. Women's occupation and cancer: preliminary analysis of cancer registrations in England and Wales, 1971-1990. Am J Ind Med 1999; 36:172-85. [PMID: 10361604 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199907)36:1<172::aid-ajim25>3.0.co;2-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years increasing attention has been paid to examining the relation between women's health and their own occupation. The findings presented here relate to an analysis of 381,915 cancers in women registered in England and Wales over the 20-year period 1971-1990. METHODS To explore the value of the data for epidemiological research, five sites (pleura, bladder, stomach, lung, and breast) and two occupations (agriculture and textile) were selected. Associations between cancer and occupation were evaluated using age and social class adjusted proportional registration ratios (PRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Pleural cancer risk was increased in a range of occupations with a potential for asbestos exposure (e.g., PRR 608, 95% CI 381-921 for craft and other production process workers), and the well-established link between bladder cancer and employment in the rubber industry was confirmed (PRR 303, 95% CI 188-464). Associations between "dusty" occupations and stomach cancer were noted (e.g., PRR 198, 95% CI 126-298 for ceramic decorators and finishers), and possible links with lung cancer and smoke in the work environment were highlighted (e.g., PRR 167, 95% CI 147-189 for publicans). As a group, agricultural workers were found to be at increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (PRR 164, 95% CI 126-211), and textile workers at increased risk of pleural cancer (PRR 145, 95% CI 111-185). No evidence for an occupational aetiology for breast cancer was found within these data. CONCLUSIONS Occupational information collected at cancer registration in the United Kingdom can be reliably used to identify groups that may be at increased risk of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Simpson
- Leukaemia Research Fund, Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Advances in our knowledge of pediatric genitourinary tumors are being made at a rapid pace at both the basic science and clinical levels. As the molecular mechanisms underlying these malignancies are being uncovered, treatment options are being modified to decrease morbidity and, ultimately, increase survival. This article reviews the recent literature on Wilms' tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, and testicular tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- H H Lee
- Division of Pediatric Urology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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