Prostate cancer in pesticide applicators in Swedish agriculture

✍ Scribed by Dich, Jan; Wiklund, Kerstin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 65 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-4137
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19980201)34:2<100::aid-pros4>3.0.co;2-o

✦ Synopsis

Background:

The use of chemicals in agriculture has been associated with elevated risks of prostate cancer. the aim of this study was to analyze prostate cancer risk in a cohort of 20,025 pesticide applicators in agriculture licensed between 1965-1976.

Methods:

The cohort was followed up in the swedish cancer register from date of licence until death of december 31, 1991. the mean follow-up time was 21.3 years.

Results:

We found a statistically significant increased risk of prostate cancer with 401 cases observed compared to 355 expected, with a standardized incidence ratio (sir) of 1.13 (95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.24). there were 7 cases among those born in 1935 or later, and the sir was 2.03 (0.82-4.19). for those born earlier than 1935 the sir was 1.12 (1.01-1.24).

Conclusions:

These findings of a statistically significant increased risk of prostate cancer, together with recent results from other studies, imply a relationship between agrochemicals or other risk factors in the environment of farmers and prostate cancer.