title: Risk of female breast cancer and serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls: a case-control study in Tunisia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum concentrations of a group of organochlorine pesticides/polychlorinated biphenyls with xenoestrogenic potential and the risk of breast cancer in a female population from Tunisia. The relationship between serum levels of the pollutants and the risk of cancer was assessed using logistic regression analyses. In the unadjusted models, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, polychlorinated biphenyl congeners 138, 153, and 180, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were positively associated with breast cancer risk. However, when the models were further adjusted for the selected covariates, only β-HCH and p,p'-DDE remained statistically significant, and heptachlor was borderline significant. In addition, analyses using POP concentration tertiles corroborated a positive dose-response relationship that was significant for p,p'-DDE (p-trend=0.020) and borderline significant for heptachlor (p-trend=0.078). A similar trend was also confirmed for β-HCH, in which concentrations≥limit of detection were positively associated with breast cancer risk (vs. concentrations<limit of detection, OR=3.44, p<0.05). Finally, the relative influence of each chemical in the presence of the others was assessed by entering the three chemicals in a single model with all covariates, and only β-HCH remained positively associated with the risk of cancer (OR:1.18, 95%CI: 1.05-1.34). Our findings suggest a potential association between exposure to at least one organochlorine pesticide and breast cancer risk. However, our results should be interpreted with caution, and further research is warranted to confirm these findings.
authors: Radiation Oncology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain; San Cecilio University Hospital, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. Granada, University of Granada, CIBERESP, Spain. Electronic address: jparrebola@ugr.es.
authors: Juan P
authors: JP
authors: Arrebola
authors: Center of Urgent Medical Assistance of Tunis, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environment (LR12SP07), Montfleury, Tunis 1008, Tunisia.
authors: Hidaya
authors: H
authors: Belhassen
authors: San Cecilio University Hospital, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. Granada, University of Granada, CIBERESP, Spain.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Artacho-Cordón
authors: Center of Urgent Medical Assistance of Tunis, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environment (LR12SP07), Montfleury, Tunis 1008, Tunisia.
authors: Ridha
authors: R
authors: Ghali
authors: Center of Urgent Medical Assistance of Tunis, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environment (LR12SP07), Montfleury, Tunis 1008, Tunisia.
authors: Hayet
authors: H
authors: Ghorbel
authors: Cancer Center of Ariana, Tunisia.
authors: Hamouda
authors: H
authors: Boussen
authors: Radiation Oncology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors: Francisco M
authors: FM
authors: Perez-Carrascosa
authors: Radiation Oncology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Expósito
authors: Center of Urgent Medical Assistance of Tunis, Laboratory of Toxicology and Environment (LR12SP07), Montfleury, Tunis 1008, Tunisia.
authors: Abderrazek
authors: A
authors: Hedhili
authors: San Cecilio University Hospital, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. Granada, University of Granada, CIBERESP, Spain.
authors: Nicolás
authors: N
authors: Olea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Breast cancer; Endocrine disruptors; Organochlorine pesticides; Persistent organic pollutants; Polychlorinated biphenyls