title: Agricultural pesticide use and risk of t(14;18)-defined subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: Pesticides have been specifically associated with the t(14;18)(q32;q21) chromosomal translocation. To investigate whether the association between pesticides and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) differs for molecular subtypes of NHL defined by t(14; 18) status, we obtained 175 tumor blocks from case subjects in a population-based case-control study conducted in Nebraska between 1983 and 1986. The t(14;18) was determined by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization in 172 of 175 tumor blocks. We compared exposures to insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fumigants in 65 t(14;18)-positive and 107 t(14;18)-negative case subjects with those among 1432 control subjects. Multivariate polytomous logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Compared with farmers who never used pesticides, the risk of t(14;18)-positive NHL was significantly elevated among farmers who used animal insecticides (OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0-6.9), crop insecticides (OR = 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-8.2), herbicides (OR = 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-7.9), and fumigants (OR = 5.0; 95% CI, 1.7-14.5). None of these pesticides were associated with t(14;18)-negative NHL. The risk of t(14;18)-positive NHL associated with insecticides and herbicides increased with longer duration of use. We conclude that insecticides, herbicides, and fumigants were associated with risk of t(14;18)-positive NHL but not t(14;18)-negative NHL. These results suggest that defining subsets of NHL according to t(14;18) status is a useful approach for etiologic research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611-4402, USA. bchiu@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Brian C-H
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Bhavana J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Dave
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gapstur
authors.forename: Shelia Hoar
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zahm
authors.forename: Dennis D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Weisenburger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 / Q000235:genetics*; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009329:Nebraska; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides