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Panis C, Lemos B. Pesticide exposure and increased breast cancer risk in women population studies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 933:172988. [PMID: 38710391 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Pesticide exposure is emerging as a risk factor for various human diseases. Breast cancer (BC) is a multifactorial disease with known genetic and non-genetic risk factors. Most BC cases are attibutable to non-genetic risk factors, with a history of adverse environmental exposures playing a significant role. Pesticide exposure can occur at higher levels in female populations participating in rural activities such as spraying of pesticides in the field, unprotected handling of pesticides at home, and washing of contaminated clothes. Exposure can also be significant in the drinking water of certain populations. Here, we reviewed the literature on women's exposure to pesticides and the risk of BC. We summarize the main links between pesticide exposure and BC and discuss the role of dose and exposure context, as well as potential mechanisms of toxicity. Overall, reports reviewed here have documented stronger associations between higher levels of exposure and BC risk, including documenting direct and acute pesticide exposure in certain female populations. However, discrepancies among studies regarding dose and mode of exposure may result in misunderstandings about the risks posed by pesticide exposure. Plausible mechanisms linking pesticides to breast cancer risk include their impacts as endocrine disruptors, as well as their roles as genotoxic agents, and modulators of the epigenome. Besides establishing links between pesticide exposure and breast cancer, the literature also highlights the critical need to understand the routes and doses of women's exposure to pesticides and the specific associations and mechanisms that are determinants of disease etiology and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Panis
- R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of Western Paraná, UNIOESTE, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Bernardo Lemos
- R Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; Coit Center for Longevity and Neurotherapeutics, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
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da Silva RGS, Ferreira MO, Komori IMS, Oliveira HRM, Machado MG, Orrutea JFG, Alves FM, dos Santos Jaques H, da Silva JC, de Souza JA, Rech D, Panis C. Brief research report pesticide occupational exposure leads to significant inflammatory changes in normal mammary breast tissue. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1229422. [PMID: 37780419 PMCID: PMC10538633 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1229422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies have documented the high occurrence of several tumors, including female breast cancer, in populations occupationally exposed to pesticides worldwide. It is believed that in addition to direct DNA damage, other molecular alterations that indicate genomic instability are associated, such as epigenetic modifications and the production of inflammation mediators. The present study characterized the profile of inflammatory changes in the breast tissue of women without cancer occupationally exposed to pesticides. In samples of normal breast tissue collected during biopsy and evaluated as negative for cancer by a pathologist, oxidative stress levels were assessed as inflammatory markers through measurements of lipoperoxides and total antioxidant capacity of the sample (TRAP) by high-sensitivity chemiluminescence, as well as levels of nitric oxide (NOx) metabolites. The levels of inflammation-modulating transcription factors PPAR-γ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) and NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) were also quantified, in addition to the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 12 (IL-12). The levels of lipoperoxides, TRAP, and NOx were significantly lower in the exposed group. On the other hand, PPAR-γ levels were increased in the breast tissue of exposed women, with no variation in NF-κB. There was also a rise of TNF-α in exposed women samples without significant variations in IL-12 levels. These findings suggest an inflammatory signature of the breast tissue associated with pesticide exposure, which may trigger mechanisms related to mutations and breast carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariane Okamoto Ferreira
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Isabella Mitsu Suo Komori
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Murilo Galvani Machado
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Fernanda Mara Alves
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Hellen dos Santos Jaques
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Janaína Carla da Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Janoário Athanazio de Souza
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
- Francisco Beltrão Cancer Hospital, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Daniel Rech
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
- Francisco Beltrão Cancer Hospital, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Carolina Panis
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, Unioeste, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
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Wei X, Cao L, Zhou M, Huang J, Liang X, Li N, Pan Y, Yin R, Li H, Jing Li A. A salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction method for 25 emerging pesticides in follicular fluid. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2023; 1229:123897. [PMID: 37793248 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Emerging pesticides of neonicotinoids (NEOs) and "Universal Pesticides" (UPs) are a growing global concern due to their growing commercial importance and potential risks to human health. The currently available analytical methods for these pesticides in biomonitoring were usually tailored for limited number of analytes, or were time consuming and costly. In this study, an efficient and sensitive method for the analysis of 16 NEOs and nine UPs in human follicular fluid (FF) was developed by using a salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) method and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Method performance was evaluated by calibration linearity (r > 0.99), sensitivity at limits of quantification (0.01-0.50 ng/mL), accuracy at relative recoveries (81-117%) and precision at relative standard deviations (≤16%). The developed method was further validated by analyzing 21 human FF samples that were collected from a hospital in Guangzhou, China. Among the 25 study analytes, two NEOs and six UPs had their detection rates over 85% and medians at 0.048-0.808 ng/mL in the FF samples. Considering the well-known toxicity of these pesticides and their metabolites, it is urgent to figure out exposure profiles of study pesticides and potential reproductive risk for women. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to develop and apply the SALLE method in the extraction of 16 NEOs and nine UPs simultaneously in human FF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wei
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Liang Cao
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mingrui Zhou
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiana Huang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Nijie Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yanan Pan
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Renli Yin
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Huashou Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Adela Jing Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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Brito-Marcelino A, Duarte-Tavares RJ, Marcelino KB, Silva-Neto JA. Breast cancer and occupational exposures: an integrative review of the literature. Rev Bras Med Trab 2021; 18:488-496. [PMID: 33688331 PMCID: PMC7934163 DOI: 10.47626/1679-4435-2020-595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Occupational factors can lead to breast cancer, though the relationship between these variables is not well established. The objective of this study was to search the relevant literature for information on the association between breast cancer and exposure to occupational risk factors. For that purpose, electronic databases were searched using the following keywords: breast cancer and occupational exposures. A total of 40 articles published in the 10-year period from 2009 to 2019 were included in this review. Workers exposed to metals such as cadmium, chemical products, radiation and night work were more susceptible to breast cancer. The findings showed significant evidence to support an association between breast cancer and some chemical products, ionizing radiation and night work. However, most studies have difficulty establishing a causal relationship between these variables, pointing to the need for further investigation of these issues.
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Md Meftaul I, Venkateswarlu K, Dharmarajan R, Annamalai P, Megharaj M. Pesticides in the urban environment: A potential threat that knocks at the door. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 711:134612. [PMID: 31810707 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides play a pivotal role in controlling pests and disease infestations not only in urban agriculture but also in non-agricultural settings. Several pesticides like herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, etc. are applied unintentionally at higher concentrations even in small urban areas such as lawns, gardens and impermeable surfaces. Consequent to their indiscriminate use, both extensively and intensively, in the urban areas, contamination of pesticides poses a serious threat to the environment, living organisms and food safety. Although the fate and ecological effects of pesticides and their residues have been thoroughly understood in agricultural soils, information available in the literature on the impact of these contaminants in the urban environment is very limited and fragmentary. In fact, the fate and behaviour of pesticide residues in the urban environment are distinct from those in other ecosystems since the soils in urban areas greatly vary in their physico-chemical properties. Development of sustainable and eco-friendly approaches for remediation of even urban soils contaminated with pesticides is therefore greatly warranted. Thus, the present critical review is the first single source that provides updated knowledge on the sources, nature and extent of pesticide pollution in the urban environment, and the ecological and human health effects of pesticides and their residues. The potential of nano-encapsulation of pesticides for their application in urban settings has also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Islam Md Meftaul
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Kadiyala Venkateswarlu
- Formerly Department of Microbiology, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapuramu 515003, India
| | - Rajarathnam Dharmarajan
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Prasath Annamalai
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Mallavarapu Megharaj
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
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Girard L, Reix N, Mathelin C. [Impact of endocrine disrupting pesticides on breast cancer]. GYNECOLOGIE, OBSTETRIQUE, FERTILITE & SENOLOGIE 2020; 48:187-195. [PMID: 31634589 DOI: 10.1016/j.gofs.2019.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Of the 800 pesticides used worldwide, about 650 can affect the functioning of the endocrine system: endocrine disrupting pesticides (EDPs). Dietary or environmental exposure to EDPs is a concern, as their presence is currently demonstrated in most biological fluids. Some EDPs are prohibited, classified as carcinogenic, others are "probable" or "possible" carcinogens when there is limited evidence of their tumor effect. The impact of EDPs on breasts is not well known to date. However, since most EDPs have a long half-life and are lipophilic, breasts, composed mainly of adipose tissue, are a suitable site for their concentration. The objective of our review was to analyze the impact of EDPs related to our environmental exposure on breast cancer risk, through an analysis of recent literature, including epidemiological and biological data. Our review showed a positive association between the presence of EDPs and breast cancer, especially among women farmers or EDPs users but also in the general population. Studies on breast tumors have found a higher concentration of EDPs in estrogen-sensitive tumors. As for mortality, studies are contradictory, but confirm the dangerousness of some EDPs. The different series analyzed have several limitations, such as the low number of EDPs evaluated, small numbers and insufficient follow up. The potentiating effect of different EDPs used concomitantly and the window of exposure to these substances are parameters to be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Girard
- Unité de sénologie, pôle de gynécologie-obstétrique, hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, hôpital de Hautepierre, avenue Molière, 67200 Strasbourg cedex, France
| | - N Reix
- Laboratoire de biochimie et biologie moléculaire, hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, 1, place de l'Hôpital, 67091 Strasbourg, France; ICube UMR 7357, université de Strasbourg/CNRS, fédération de médecine translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France.
| | - C Mathelin
- Unité de sénologie, pôle de gynécologie-obstétrique, hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, hôpital de Hautepierre, avenue Molière, 67200 Strasbourg cedex, France; Institut de génétique et de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire, biologie du cancer (IGBMC), 1, rue Laurent-Fries, 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
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A case-control study of breast cancer risk and ambient exposure to pesticides. Environ Epidemiol 2019; 3:e070. [PMID: 32166211 PMCID: PMC7028467 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: While the estrogenic properties of certain pesticides have been established, associations between pesticide exposure and risk of breast cancer have been inconsistently observed. We investigated the relation between pesticide exposure and breast cancer risk using methods capable of objectively assessing exposure to specific pesticides occurring decades before diagnosis. Methods: A case–control study was conducted to evaluate the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer associated with historic pesticide exposure in California’s Central Valley, the most agriculturally productive region in the United States where pesticide drift poses a major source of nonoccupational exposure. Residential and occupational histories were linked to commercial pesticide reports and land use data to determine exposure to specific chemicals. Cases (N = 155) were recruited from a population-based cancer registry, and controls (N = 150) were obtained from tax assessor and Medicare list mailings. Results: There was no association between breast cancer and exposure to a selected group of organochlorine pesticides thought to have synergistic endocrine-disrupting potential; however, breast cancer was three times as likely to occur among women exposed to chlorpyrifos compared with those not exposed, after adjusting for exposure to other pesticides including organochlorines (OR = 3.22; 95% CI = 1.38, 7.53). Conclusions: Organophosphate pesticides, such as chlorpyrifos, have rarely been evaluated in studies of breast cancer risk. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings and to better understand the underlying mechanisms given that chlorpyrifos has been detected in local air monitoring at levels of concern for residents living in the agricultural regions where it is used.
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Niehoff NM, Gammon MD, Parada H, Stellman SD, Neugut AI, Teitelbaum SL. Self-reported residential pesticide use and survival after breast cancer. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2019; 222:1077-1083. [PMID: 31351853 PMCID: PMC6732244 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous investigations found elevated mortality after breast cancer in association with biomarkers of persistent organochlorine pesticides in non-occupationally exposed women. We hypothesized that lifetime residential pesticide use, which includes persistent and non-persistent pesticides, would also be associated with increased mortality after breast cancer. METHODS A population-based cohort of 1505 women with invasive or in situ breast cancer was interviewed in 1996-1997, shortly after diagnosis, about pre-diagnostic lifetime residential pesticide use. Participants were followed for mortality through 2014 (595 deaths from any cause and 236 from breast cancer, after 17.6 years of follow-up). Pesticides were examined as 15 individual categories; a group of seven used for lawn and garden purposes; a group of eight used for nuisance-pest purposes; and all combined. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality. Modification by estrogen receptor (ER) status, body mass index, and long-term residence was examined. RESULTS Ever use (HR = 0.77, 95%CI = 0.63-0.95) and higher lifetime applications (4th quartile: HR = 0.62, 95%CI = 0.47-0.81, ptrend = 0.3) of the lawn and garden group of pesticides were inversely associated with all-cause mortality, compared to never use. The inverse association for lawn and garden pesticide use was limited to ER positive (vs. negative) tumors (pinteraction = 0.05). Nuisance-pest pesticides, and all groups combined, were not associated with all-cause or breast cancer-specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our hypothesis, lifetime residential use of lawn and garden pesticides, but not all combined or nuisance-pest pesticides, was inversely associated with all-cause mortality after breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Niehoff
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7435, USA.
| | - Marilie D Gammon
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7435, USA
| | - Humberto Parada
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, Hardy Tower Room 168, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Steven D Stellman
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Alfred I Neugut
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Department of Medicine, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Susan L Teitelbaum
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
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Jalilian H, Neghab M, Tatar M, Taheri S. Respiratory and Dermal Symptoms and Raised Serum Concentrations of Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress among Pesticide Retailers. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE 2018; 9:194-204. [PMID: 30325360 PMCID: PMC6466989 DOI: 10.15171/ijoem.2018.1417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently concern has been raised regarding possible health effects resulting from exposure of a group of pesticide retailers to chemicals they handle. OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of respiratory and dermal symptoms, as well as biomarkers of oxidative stress, among pesticide retailers and to compare them with those of an unexposed comparison group. METHODS 70 male pesticide retailers and 64 male construction workers (served as the comparison group) were investigated. Blood samples were taken from all participants to assess the biomarkers of oxidative stress. A data sheet and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II questionnaire were used to determine the prevalence of dermal and respiratory disorders, respectively. RESULTS After adjusting for age, weight, height, education level, job tenure, average daily work, presence of family history of respiratory diseases, marital status, smoking status, and number of cigarettes smoked per day, we found that wheezing (OR 4.07, 95% CI 1.17 to 14.17), cough (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.15 to 9.98), and mucus hypersecretion (OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.45 to 9.05) were significantly more prevalent among pesticide retailers compared with the comparison group. The prevalence of tingling and dryness of skin exposed individuals was significantly higher than unexposed participants. The mean serum concentrations of glutathione and malondialdehyde in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the comparison group. CONCLUSION Occupational exposure to low doses of a mixture of pesticides by retailers was associated with increased prevalence of dermal and respiratory symptoms as well as raised concentrations of biomarkers of oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Jalilian
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoud Neghab
- Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Tatar
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Shekoufeh Taheri
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Rodgers KM, Udesky JO, Rudel RA, Brody JG. Environmental chemicals and breast cancer: An updated review of epidemiological literature informed by biological mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 160:152-182. [PMID: 28987728 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.08.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many common environmental chemicals are mammary gland carcinogens in animal studies, activate relevant hormonal pathways, or enhance mammary gland susceptibility to carcinogenesis. Breast cancer's long latency and multifactorial etiology make evaluation of these chemicals in humans challenging. OBJECTIVE For chemicals previously identified as mammary gland toxicants, we evaluated epidemiologic studies published since our 2007 review. We assessed whether study designs captured relevant exposures and disease features suggested by toxicological and biological evidence of genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, tumor promotion, or disruption of mammary gland development. METHODS We systematically searched the PubMed database for articles with breast cancer outcomes published in 2006-2016 using terms for 134 environmental chemicals, sources, or biomarkers of exposure. We critically reviewed the articles. RESULTS We identified 158 articles. Consistent with experimental evidence, a few key studies suggested higher risk for exposures during breast development to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dioxins, perfluorooctane-sulfonamide (PFOSA), and air pollution (risk estimates ranged from 2.14 to 5.0), and for occupational exposure to solvents and other mammary carcinogens, such as gasoline components (risk estimates ranged from 1.42 to 3.31). Notably, one 50-year cohort study captured exposure to DDT during several critical windows for breast development (in utero, adolescence, pregnancy) and when this chemical was still in use. Most other studies did not assess exposure during a biologically relevant window or specify the timing of exposure. Few studies considered genetic variation, but the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project reported higher breast cancer risk for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in women with certain genetic variations, especially in DNA repair genes. CONCLUSIONS New studies that targeted toxicologically relevant chemicals and captured biological hypotheses about genetic variants or windows of breast susceptibility added to evidence of links between environmental chemicals and breast cancer. However, many biologically relevant chemicals, including current-use consumer product chemicals, have not been adequately studied in humans. Studies are challenged to reconstruct exposures that occurred decades before diagnosis or access biological samples stored that long. Other problems include measuring rapidly metabolized chemicals and evaluating exposure to mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Rodgers
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Newton, MA 02460, United States.
| | - Julia O Udesky
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Newton, MA 02460, United States.
| | - Ruthann A Rudel
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Newton, MA 02460, United States.
| | - Julia Green Brody
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Newton, MA 02460, United States.
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Engel LS, Werder E, Satagopan J, Blair A, Hoppin JA, Koutros S, Lerro CC, Sandler DP, Alavanja MC, Beane Freeman LE. Insecticide Use and Breast Cancer Risk among Farmers' Wives in the Agricultural Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:097002. [PMID: 28934092 PMCID: PMC5915194 DOI: 10.1289/ehp1295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some epidemiologic and laboratory studies suggest that insecticides are related to increased breast cancer risk, but the evidence is inconsistent. Women engaged in agricultural work or who reside in agricultural areas may experience appreciable exposures to a wide range of insecticides. OBJECTIVE We examined associations between insecticide use and breast cancer incidence among wives of pesticide applicators (farmers) in the prospective Agricultural Health Study. METHODS Farmers and their wives provided information on insecticide use, demographics, and reproductive history at enrollment in 1993-1997 and in 5-y follow-up interviews. Cancer incidence was determined via cancer registries. Among 30,594 wives with no history of breast cancer before enrollment, we examined breast cancer risk in relation to the women's and their husbands' insecticide use using Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS During an average 14.7-y follow-up, 39% of the women reported ever using insecticides, and 1,081 were diagnosed with breast cancer. Although ever use of insecticides overall was not associated with breast cancer risk, risk was elevated among women who had ever used the organophosphates chlorpyrifos [HR=1.4 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.0)] or terbufos [HR=1.5 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.1)], with nonsignificantly increased risks for coumaphos [HR=1.5 (95% CI: 0.9, 2.5)] and heptachlor [HR=1.5 (95% CI: 0.7, 2.9)]. Risk in relation to the wives' use was associated primarily with premenopausal breast cancer. We found little evidence of differential risk by tumor estrogen receptor status. Among women who did not apply pesticides, the husband's use of fonofos was associated with elevated risk, although no exposure-response trend was observed. CONCLUSION Use of several organophosphate insecticides was associated with elevated breast cancer risk. However, associations for the women's and husbands' use of these insecticides showed limited concordance. Ongoing cohort follow-up may help clarify the relationship, if any, between individual insecticide exposures and breast cancer risk. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1295.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence S Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Emily Werder
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jaya Satagopan
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , New York, New York, USA
| | - Aaron Blair
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jane A Hoppin
- Department of Biological Sciences, and
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stella Koutros
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine C Lerro
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dale P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael C Alavanja
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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12
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El-Zaemey S, Heyworth J, Fritschi L. Noticing pesticide spray drift from agricultural pesticide application areas and breast cancer: a case-control study. Aust N Z J Public Health 2013; 37:547-55. [DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia El-Zaemey
- School of Population Health; The University of Western Australia
| | - Jane Heyworth
- School of Population Health; The University of Western Australia
| | - Lin Fritschi
- The Western Australian Institute for Medical Research; The University of Western Australia
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