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Occupational exposure to pesticides and pancreatic cancer *
Author(s) -
Ji BuTian,
Silverman Debra T.,
Stewart Patricia A.,
Blair Aaron,
Swanson G. Marie,
Baris Dalsu,
Greenberg Raymond S.,
Hayes Richard B.,
Brown Linda M.,
Lillemoe Keith D.,
Schoenberg Janet B.,
Pottern Linda M.,
Schwartz Ann G.,
Hoover Robert N.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0274(200101)39:1<92::aid-ajim9>3.0.co;2-p
Subject(s) - medicine , confounding , pesticide , environmental health , toxicology , occupational exposure , job exposure matrix , pancreatic cancer , population , cancer , risk assessment , biology , computer security , computer science , agronomy
Background An increased risk of exposure to pesticides for pancreatic cancer has been suggested in a number of epidemiologic studies. Methods Cases (N = 484), aged 30–79 years, were diagnosed in 1986–1989. Controls (N = 2,095) were a random sample of the general population. Information on usual occupation and potential confounding factors was obtained. A job‐exposure matrix (JEM) approach was used to estimate the level of occupational exposure to pesticides. Results A significant trend in risk with increasing exposure level of pesticides was observed, with ORs of 1.3 and 1.4 for low and moderate/high exposure levels, respectively. Excess risks were found for occupational exposure to fungicides (OR = 1.5) and herbicides (OR = 1.6) in the moderate/high level after adjustment for potential confounding factors. An increased risk for insecticide exposure was disappeared after adjustment for fungicide and herbicide exposures. Results of our occupation‐based analysis were consistent with those from the JEM‐based analysis. Conclusions Our results suggest that pesticides may increase risk of pancreatic cancer, and indicate the need for investigations that can evaluate risk by specific chemical exposures. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39:92–99, 2001. Published 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.