Self-reported exposure to pesticides in residential settings and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study
- PMID: 20579356
- PMCID: PMC2909990
- DOI: 10.1186/1476-069X-9-30
Self-reported exposure to pesticides in residential settings and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study
Abstract
Background: Pesticides are widely used in households to control insects and weeds. Several studies, over the past decades, have examined the possible relationship of serum concentration of organochlorine pesticides and the development of breast cancer. However, little data exists regarding an association between self-reported, residential exposure to pesticides and breast cancer risk. We, therefore, present a case-control study examining self-reported exposure to household pesticides with regard to associated risk of breast cancer.
Methods: This study was conducted in the area in and around New York City, NY and included 1205 patients (447 cases and 758 controls). Cases were defined as women with newly diagnosed breast cancer or carcinoma in-situ, while controls included women with benign breast diseases or those undergoing non-breast related surgery. All patients were asked a series of questions to determine their pesticide exposure, including the type of pesticide, location of exposure (inside vs. outside the home), who applied the pesticide (self vs. a professional) and duration of pesticide use. Logistic regression models were used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results: The most common pests encountered in participants' homes were ants, carpenter ants, and cockroaches. The calculated adjusted odds ratios for both self and professionally applied pesticides, specifically against the above mentioned insects, with regard to breast cancer risk were 1.25 (95% CI: 0.79-1.98) and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.65-1.73), respectively. Similarly, odds ratios and confidence intervals were calculated for other types of pesticides.
Conclusions: Overall, the results of our study did not show an association between self-reported exposure to pesticides and breast cancer risk. Future studies, utilizing a larger sample size and more specific detail on time frame of pesticide exposure, are needed to further explore this question.
Similar articles
-
Reported residential pesticide use and breast cancer risk on Long Island, New York.Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Mar 15;165(6):643-51. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwk046. Epub 2006 Dec 13. Am J Epidemiol. 2007. PMID: 17166928
-
Noticing pesticide spray drift from agricultural pesticide application areas and breast cancer: a case-control study.Aust N Z J Public Health. 2013 Dec;37(6):547-55. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12111. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2013. PMID: 24892153
-
Household and occupational exposure to pesticides and risk of breast cancer.Int J Environ Health Res. 2014 Apr;24(2):91-102. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2013.800958. Epub 2013 Jun 14. Int J Environ Health Res. 2014. PMID: 23767826
-
Pesticide exposure and gender discrepancy in breast cancer.Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021 Apr;25(7):2898-2915. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202104_25543. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021. PMID: 33877654
-
Residential pesticides and childhood leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Jan;118(1):33-41. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0900966. Environ Health Perspect. 2010. PMID: 20056585 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Insecticide Use and Breast Cancer Risk among Farmers' Wives in the Agricultural Health Study.Environ Health Perspect. 2017 Sep 6;125(9):097002. doi: 10.1289/EHP1295. Environ Health Perspect. 2017. PMID: 28934092 Free PMC article.
-
Self-reported residential pesticide use and survival after breast cancer.Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2019 Sep;222(8):1077-1083. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.07.010. Epub 2019 Jul 24. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2019. PMID: 31351853 Free PMC article.
-
Residential exposure associations with ALS risk, survival, and phenotype: a Michigan-based case-control study.Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2024 Aug;25(5-6):543-553. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2336110. Epub 2024 Apr 1. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2024. PMID: 38557405 Free PMC article.
-
Childhood and Adolescent Pesticide Exposure and Breast Cancer Risk.Epidemiology. 2016 May;27(3):326-33. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000000451. Epidemiology. 2016. PMID: 26808595 Free PMC article.
-
A case-control study of breast cancer risk and ambient exposure to pesticides.Environ Epidemiol. 2019 Oct 14;3(5):e070. doi: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000070. eCollection 2019 Oct. Environ Epidemiol. 2019. PMID: 32166211 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Salehi F, Turner MC, Phillips KP, Wigle DT, Krewski D, Aronson KJ. Review of the etiology of breast cancer with special attention to organochlorines as potential endocrine disruptors. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. 2008;11:276–300. - PubMed
-
- Zheng T, Holford TR, Mayne ST, Ward B, Carter D, Owens PH, Dubrow R, Zahm SH, Boyle P, Archibeque S. DDE and DDT in breast adipose tissue and risk of female breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 1999;150:453–458. - PubMed
-
- Stellman SD, Djordjevic MV, Britton JA, Muscat JE, Citron ML, Kemeny M, Busch E, Gong L. Breast cancer risk in relation to adipose concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in Long Island, New York. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000;9:1241–1249. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous