Parental occupational exposure to pesticides and childhood germ-cell tumors.
In a recently completed US case-control study (Children's Oncology Group, 1993-2001) with 253 cases and 394 controls, the authors investigated the association between parental occupational exposure to pesticides and risk of childhood germ-cell tumors. Information on occupational pesticide exposure was collected using job-specific module questionnaires and assessed by an experienced industrial hygienist. Odds ratios for childhood germ-cell tumors associated with maternal exposures before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after the birth of the index child were 1.0 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 1.4), 1.1 (95% CI: 0.7, 1.6), and 1.3 (95% CI: 0.9, 1.8), respectively. Paternal exposures before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after the birth of the index child were not related to germ-cell tumors (odds ratios (ORs) were 0.9 (95% CI: 0.7, 1.2), 0.8 (95% CI: 0.5, 1.2), and 0.8 (95% CI: 0.5, 1.3), respectively). When both parents had ever been occupationally exposed to pesticides before the index pregnancy, the odds ratio was 0.8 (95% CI: 0.4, 1.3). Subgroup analyses showed a positive association between maternal exposure to herbicides during the postnatal period and risk of germ-cell tumors in girls (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.0, 5.2) and an inverse association between paternal exposure to pesticides during the index pregnancy and germ-cell tumors in boys (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.0). This study did not provide strong evidence supporting a relation between parental pesticide exposure in the workplace and risk of germ-cell tumors among offspring.
Chen
Zhi
Z
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Stewart
Patricia A
PA
Davies
Stella
S
Giller
Roger
R
Krailo
Mark
M
Davis
Mary
M
Robison
Leslie
L
Shu
Xiao-Ou
XO
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D010575:Pesticides