title: Risk of total and aggressive prostate cancer and pesticide use in the Agricultural Health Study.
abstract: Because pesticides may operate through different mechanisms, the authors studied the risk of prostate cancer associated with specific pesticides in the Agricultural Health Study (1993-2007). With 1,962 incident cases, including 919 aggressive prostate cancers among 54,412 applicators, this is the largest study to date. Rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by using Poisson regression to evaluate lifetime use of 48 pesticides and prostate cancer incidence. Three organophosphate insecticides were significantly associated with aggressive prostate cancer: fonofos (rate ratio (RR) for the highest quartile of exposure (Q4) vs. nonexposed = 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 2.17; P(trend) < 0.001); malathion (RR for Q4 vs. nonexposed = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.88; P(trend) = 0.04); and terbufos (RR for Q4 vs. nonexposed = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.64; P(trend) = 0.03). The organochlorine insecticide aldrin was also associated with increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer (RR for Q4 vs. nonexposed = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.18; P(trend) = 0.02). This analysis has overcome several limitations of previous studies with the inclusion of a large number of cases with relevant exposure and detailed information on use of specific pesticides at 2 points in time. Furthermore, this is the first time specific pesticides are implicated as risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Boulevard, EPS 8115, MSC 7240, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. KoutrosS@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koutros
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Beane Freeman
authors.forename: Jay H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lubin
authors.forename: Sonya L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Heltshe
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andreotti
authors.forename: Kathryn Hughes
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Curt T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: DellaValle
authors.forename: Jane A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hoppin
authors.forename: Dale P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Sandler
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Michael C R
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Alavanja
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D044469:Racial Groups; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D007306:Insecticides; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds