Pesticides and lung cancer risk in the agricultural health study cohort

Michael C R Alavanja; Mustafa Dosemeci; Claudine Samanic; Jay Lubin; Charles F Lynch; Charles Knott; Joseph Barker; Jane A Hoppin; Dale P Sandler; Joseph Coble; Kent Thomas; Aaron Blair

doi:10.1093/aje/kwh290

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Pesticides and lung cancer risk in the agricultural health study cohort

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Pesticides and lung cancer risk in the agricultural health study cohort

Michael C R Alavanja, Mustafa Dosemeci, Claudine Samanic, Jay Lubin, Charles F Lynch, Charles Knott, Joseph Barker, Jane A Hoppin, Dale P Sandler, Joseph Coble, …

American journal of epidemiology, Vol.160(9), pp.876-885

11/01/2004

DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwh290

PMID: 15496540

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Abstract

The authors examined the relation between 50 widely used agricultural pesticides and lung cancer incidence in the Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 57,284 pesticide applicators and 32,333 spouses of farmer applicators with no prior history of lung cancer. Self-administered questionnaires were completed at enrollment (1993-1997). Cancer incidence was determined through population-based cancer registries from enrollment through December 31, 2001. A lung cancer standardized incidence ratio of 0.44 (95% confidence interval: 0.39, 0.49) was observed overall, due in large part to a low cigarette smoking prevalence. Two widely used herbicides, metolachlor and pendimethalin (for low-exposed groups to four higher exposure categories: odds ratio (OR) = 1.0, 1.6, 1.2, 5.0; p(trend) = 0.0002; and OR = 1.0, 1.6, 2.1, 4.4; p(trend) = 0.003, respectively), and two widely used insecticides, chlorpyrifos and diazinon (OR = 1.0, 1.1, 1.7, 1.9; p(trend) = 0.03; and OR = 1.0, 1.6, 2.7, 3.7; p(trend) = 0.04, respectively), showed some evidence of exposure response for lung cancer. These excesses could not be explained by previously identified lung cancer risk factors. The usage levels in this cohort are considerably higher than those typically experienced by the general population. An excess risk among spouses directly exposed to pesticides could not be evaluated at this time.

Registries

Smoking - adverse effects

Multivariate Analysis

Aniline Compounds - poisoning

Prospective Studies

Lung Neoplasms - chemically induced

Humans

Middle Aged

Agricultural Workers' Diseases - epidemiology

Male

Chlorpyrifos - poisoning

Incidence

Time Factors

Female

Iowa - epidemiology

Surveys and Questionnaires

North Carolina - epidemiology

Acetamides - poisoning

Risk Assessment

Occupational Exposure - adverse effects

Herbicides - poisoning

Risk Factors

Logistic Models

Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology

Occupational Exposure - analysis

Smoking - epidemiology

Diazinon - poisoning

Aged

Pesticides - poisoning

Population Surveillance

Agrochemicals - poisoning

Agricultural Workers' Diseases - chemically induced

Details

Title: Subtitle: Pesticides and lung cancer risk in the agricultural health study cohort
Creators: Michael C R Alavanja - Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD 20892, USA. alavanjm@mail.nih.gov
Mustafa Dosemeci
Claudine Samanic
Jay Lubin
Charles F Lynch
Charles Knott
Joseph Barker
Jane A Hoppin
Dale P Sandler
Joseph Coble
Kent Thomas
Aaron Blair
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of epidemiology, Vol.160(9), pp.876-885
Publisher: United States
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwh290
PMID: 15496540
ISSN: 0002-9262
eISSN: 1476-6256
Language: English
Date published: 11/01/2004
Academic Unit: Epidemiology
Record Identifier: 9983995159102771

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