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Jiménez T, García-Pérez J, van der Haar R, Alba MÁ, Lucas P, Sierra MÁ, de Larrea-Baz NF, Salas-Trejo D, Llobet R, Martínez I, Pino MN, Alguacil J, González-Galarzo MC, Martínez-Cortés M, Pérez-Gómez B, Pollán M, Lope V. Occupation, occupational exposures and mammographic density in Spanish women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 195:110816. [PMID: 33524328 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mammographic density (MD), the proportion of radiologically dense breast tissue, is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. Our objective is to investigate the influence of occupations and occupational exposure to physical, chemical, and microbiological agents on MD in Spanish premenopausal women. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study based on 1362 premenopausal workers, aged 39-50, who attended a gynecological screening in a breast radiodiagnosis unit of Madrid City Council. The work history was compiled through a personal interview. Exposure to occupational agents was evaluated using the Spanish job-exposure matrix MatEmESp. MD percentage was assessed using the validated semi-automated computer tool DM-Scan. The association between occupation, occupational exposures, and MD was quantified using multiple linear regression models, adjusted for age, educational level, body mass index, parity, previous breast biopsies, family history of breast cancer, energy intake, use of oral contraceptives, smoking, and alcohol consumption. RESULTS Although no occupation was statistically significantly associated with MD, a borderline significant inverse association was mainly observed in orchard, greenhouse, nursery, and garden workers (β = -6.60; 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = -14.27; 1.07) and information and communication technology technicians (β = -7.27; 95%CI = -15.37; 0.84). On the contrary, a positive association was found among technicians in art galleries, museums, and libraries (β = 8.47; 95%CI = -0.65; 17.60). Women occupationally exposed to fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides tended to have lower MD. The percentage of density decreased by almost 2% for every 5 years spent in occupations exposed to the mentioned agents. CONCLUSIONS Although our findings point to a lack of association with the occupations and exposures analyzed, this study supports a deeper exploration of the role of certain occupational agents in MD, such as pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Jiménez
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Microbiology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier García-Pérez
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Miguel Ángel Alba
- Área de Higiene Industrial, Quirón Prevención, S.L.U., Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Lucas
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Sierra
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Fernández de Larrea-Baz
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolores Salas-Trejo
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain; Valencian Breast Cancer Screening Program, General Directorate of Public Health, València, Spain; Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública CSISP, FISABIO, València, Spain
| | - Rafael Llobet
- Institute of Computer Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Martínez
- Valencian Breast Cancer Screening Program, General Directorate of Public Health, València, Spain; Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública CSISP, FISABIO, València, Spain
| | - Marina Nieves Pino
- Servicio de Prevención y Promoción de la Salud, Madrid Salud, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Alguacil
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales, Salud y Medio Ambiente (RENSMA), Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Mª Carmen González-Galarzo
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Center for Research in Occupational Disease, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercedes Martínez-Cortés
- Servicio de Prevención y Promoción de la Salud, Madrid Salud, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Pérez-Gómez
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Pollán
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | - Virginia Lope
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
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Werder EJ, Engel LS, Satagopan J, Blair A, Koutros S, Lerro CC, Alavanja MC, Sandler DP, Beane Freeman LE. Herbicide, fumigant, and fungicide use and breast cancer risk among farmers' wives. Environ Epidemiol 2020; 4:e097. [PMID: 32613154 PMCID: PMC7289136 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence from epidemiologic and laboratory studies relating pesticides to breast cancer risk is inconsistent. Women engaging in agricultural work or living in agricultural areas may experience appreciable exposures to a wide range of pesticides, including herbicides, fumigants, and fungicides. METHODS We examined exposure to herbicides, fumigants, and fungicides in relation to breast cancer risk among farmers' wives with no prior history of breast cancer in the Agricultural Health Study. Women provided information on pesticide use, demographics, and reproductive history at enrollment (1993-1997) and at a 5-year follow-up interview. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate associations (hazard ratios [HRs] and 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) between the women's and their husbands' self-reported use of individual pesticides and incident breast cancer risk. RESULTS Out of 30,594 women, 38% reported using herbicides, fumigants, or fungicides and 1,081 were diagnosed with breast cancer during a median 15.3 years of follow-up. We found elevated risk in relation to women's ever use of the fungicide benomyl (HR = 1.6; 95% CI = 0.9, 2.7) and the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) (HR = 1.6; 95% CI = 0.8, 3.1) and to their husbands' use of the herbicide 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy) propionic acid (2,4,5-TP) (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 0.9, 2.7). We observed few other chemical associations and little evidence of differential risk by tumor estrogen receptor status or linear exposure-response relationships. CONCLUSION We did not observe clear excesses between use of specific pesticides and breast cancer risk across exposure metrics, although we did observe elevated risk associated with women's use of benomyl and 2,4,5-T and husbands' use of 2,4,5-TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J. Werder
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Lawrence S. Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jaya Satagopan
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - 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
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Dereumeaux C, Fillol C, Quenel P, Denys S. Pesticide exposures for residents living close to agricultural lands: A review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 134:105210. [PMID: 31739132 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residents living close to agricultural lands might be exposed to pesticides through non-occupational pathways including spray drift and volatilization of pesticides beyond the treated area. OBJECTIVE This review aimed to identify and analyze scientific literature measuring pesticide exposure in non-farmworker residents living close to agricultural lands, and to suggest practical implications and needs for future studies. METHODS A review was performed using inclusion criteria to identify original articles of interest published between 2003 and 2018. RESULTS From the 29 articles selected in this review, 2 belonged to the same study and were grouped, resulting in a total of 27 studies. Seven studies assessed exposure to pesticides using environmental samples, 13 collected biological samples and 7 analyzed both. Nine studies included a reference group of residents living far from agricultural lands while 11 assessed the influence of the spraying season or spray events on pesticide exposures. Studies included in this review provide evidence that residents living near to agricultural lands are exposed to higher levels of pesticides than residents living further away. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION This review highlights that the following study design characteristics may be more appropriate than others to measure pesticide spray drift exposure in non-farmworker residents living close to agricultural lands: inclusion of a non-agricultural control group, collection of both biological and environmental samples with repeated sampling, measurements at different periods of the year, selection of numerous study sites related to one specific crop group, and measurements of pesticides which are specific to agricultural use. However, few studies to date incorporate all these characteristics. Additional studies are needed to comprehensively measure non-occupational pesticide exposures in this population in order to evaluate health risks, and to develop appropriate prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Dereumeaux
- Direction of Environmental Health, Santé Publique France, Saint Maurice Cedex, France.
| | - Clémence Fillol
- Direction of Environmental Health, Santé Publique France, Saint Maurice Cedex, France
| | - Philippe Quenel
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Sébastien Denys
- Direction of Environmental Health, Santé Publique France, Saint Maurice Cedex, 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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Agricultural Exposures and Breast Cancer Among Latina in the San Joaquin Valley of California. J Occup Environ Med 2019; 61:552-558. [DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Roh T, Lynch CF, Weyer P, Wang K, Kelly KM, Ludewig G. Low-level arsenic exposure from drinking water is associated with prostate cancer in Iowa. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 159:338-343. [PMID: 28841521 PMCID: PMC5623650 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Inorganic arsenic is a toxic naturally occurring element in soil and water in many regions of the US including the Midwest. Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men in Iowa, surpassed only by non-melanotic skin cancer. Epidemiology studies have evaluated arsenic exposure from drinking water and prostate cancer, but most have focused on high-level exposures outside the US. As drinking water from groundwater sources is a major source of arsenic exposure, we conducted an ecologic study to evaluate prostate cancer and arsenic in drinking water from public water sources and private wells in Iowa, where exposure levels are low, but duration of exposure can be long. Arsenic data from public water systems were obtained from the Iowa Safe Drinking Water Information System for the years 1994-2003 and for private wells from two Iowa Well Water Studies, the Iowa Community Private Well Study (ICPWS, 2002-2003) and Iowa Statewide Rural Well Water Survey Phase 2 (SWIRL2, 2006-2008) that provided data for 87 Iowa counties. Prostate cancer incidence data from 2009 to 2013 for Iowa were obtained from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results' SEER*Stat software. County averages of water arsenic levels varied from 1.08 to 18.6 ppb, with three counties above the current 10 ppb limit. Based on the tertiles of arsenic levels, counties were divided into three groups: low (1.08-2.06 ppb), medium (2.07-2.98 ppb), and high (2.99-18.6 ppb). Spatial Poisson regression modeling was conducted to estimate the risk ratios (RR) of prostate cancer by tertiles of arsenic level at a county level, adjusted for demographic and risk factors. The RR of prostate cancer were 1.23 (95% CI, 1.16-1.30) and 1.28 (95% CI, 1.21-1.35) in the medium and high groups, respectively, compared to the low group after adjusting for risk factors. The RR increased to 1.36 (95% CI, 1.28-1.45) in the high group when analyses were restricted to aggressive prostate cancers (Gleason score ≥ 7). This study shows a significant dose-dependent association between low-level arsenic exposure and prostate cancer, and if this result is replicated in future individual-level studies, may suggest that 10 ppb is not protective for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehyun Roh
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Charles F Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Peter Weyer
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Kevin M Kelly
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Gabriele Ludewig
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.
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Faure E, Danjou AM, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC, Dossus L, Fervers B. Accuracy of two geocoding methods for geographic information system-based exposure assessment in epidemiological studies. Environ Health 2017; 16:15. [PMID: 28235407 PMCID: PMC5324215 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposure assessment based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and study participants' residential proximity to environmental exposure sources relies on the positional accuracy of subjects' residences to avoid misclassification bias. Our study compared the positional accuracy of two automatic geocoding methods to a manual reference method. METHODS We geocoded 4,247 address records representing the residential history (1990-2008) of 1,685 women from the French national E3N cohort living in the Rhône-Alpes region. We compared two automatic geocoding methods, a free-online geocoding service (method A) and an in-house geocoder (method B), to a reference layer created by manually relocating addresses from method A (method R). For each automatic geocoding method, positional accuracy levels were compared according to the urban/rural status of addresses and time-periods (1990-2000, 2001-2008), using Chi Square tests. Kappa statistics were performed to assess agreement of positional accuracy of both methods A and B with the reference method, overall, by time-periods and by urban/rural status of addresses. RESULTS Respectively 81.4% and 84.4% of addresses were geocoded to the exact address (65.1% and 61.4%) or to the street segment (16.3% and 23.0%) with methods A and B. In the reference layer, geocoding accuracy was higher in urban areas compared to rural areas (74.4% vs. 10.5% addresses geocoded to the address or interpolated address level, p < 0.0001); no difference was observed according to the period of residence. Compared to the reference method, median positional errors were 0.0 m (IQR = 0.0-37.2 m) and 26.5 m (8.0-134.8 m), with positional errors <100 m for 82.5% and 71.3% of addresses, for method A and method B respectively. Positional agreement of method A and method B with method R was 'substantial' for both methods, with kappa coefficients of 0.60 and 0.61 for methods A and B, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates the feasibility of geocoding residential addresses in epidemiological studies not initially recorded for environmental exposure assessment, for both recent addresses and residence locations more than 20 years ago. Accuracy of the two automatic geocoding methods was comparable. The in-house method (B) allowed a better control of the geocoding process and was less time consuming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Faure
- Cancer and Environnent Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373, Lyon, Cedex 08 France
| | - Aurélie M.N. Danjou
- Cancer and Environnent Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373, Lyon, Cedex 08 France
- Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Françoise Clavel-Chapelon
- Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, Team “Generations for Health”, 94805 Villejuif, France
- Paris Sud University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1018 – EMT, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, Cedex France
| | - Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault
- Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, Team “Generations for Health”, 94805 Villejuif, France
- Paris Sud University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1018 – EMT, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, Cedex France
| | - Laure Dossus
- Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, Team “Generations for Health”, 94805 Villejuif, France
- Paris Sud University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Béatrice Fervers
- Cancer and Environnent Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373, Lyon, Cedex 08 France
- Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
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Chang ET, Adami HO, Bailey WH, Boffetta P, Krieger RI, Moolgavkar SH, Mandel JS. Validity of geographically modeled environmental exposure estimates. Crit Rev Toxicol 2014; 44:450-66. [PMID: 24766059 DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2014.902029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Geographic modeling is increasingly being used to estimate long-term environmental exposures in epidemiologic studies of chronic disease outcomes. However, without validation against measured environmental concentrations, personal exposure levels, or biologic doses, these models cannot be assumed a priori to be accurate. This article discusses three examples of epidemiologic associations involving exposures estimated using geographic modeling, and identifies important issues that affect geographically modeled exposure assessment in these areas. In air pollution epidemiology, geographic models of fine particulate matter levels have frequently been validated against measured environmental levels, but comparisons between ambient and personal exposure levels have shown only moderate correlations. Estimating exposure to magnetic fields by using geographically modeled distances is problematic because the error is larger at short distances, where field levels can vary substantially. Geographic models of environmental exposure to pesticides, including paraquat, have seldom been validated against environmental or personal levels, and validation studies have yielded inconsistent and typically modest results. In general, the exposure misclassification resulting from geographic models of environmental exposures can be differential and can result in bias away from the null even if non-differential. Therefore, geographic exposure models must be rigorously constructed and validated if they are to be relied upon to produce credible scientific results to inform epidemiologic research. To our knowledge, such models have not yet successfully predicted an association between an environmental exposure and a chronic disease outcome that has eventually been established as causal, and may not be capable of doing so in the absence of thorough validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen T Chang
- Health Sciences Practice, Exponent, Inc. , Menlo Park, CA, Bowie, MD, and Bellevue, WA , USA
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Slusky DA, Does M, Metayer C, Mezei G, Selvin S, Buffler PA. Potential role of selection bias in the association between childhood leukemia and residential magnetic fields exposure: a population-based assessment. Cancer Epidemiol 2014; 38:307-13. [PMID: 24679435 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2014.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Data from the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study (NCCLS) were used to assess whether selection bias may explain the association between residential magnetic fields (assessed by wire codes) and childhood leukemia as previously observed in case-control studies. METHODS Wiring codes were calculated for participating cases, n=310; and non-participating cases, n=66; as well as for three control groups: first-choice participating, n=174; first-choice non-participating, n=252; and replacement (non-first choice participating controls), n=220. RESULTS Participating controls tended to be of higher socioeconomic status than non-participating controls, and lower socioeconomic status was related to higher wire-codes. The odds ratio (OR) for developing childhood leukemia associated with high wire-codes was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.64) when all cases were compared to all first-choice controls (participating and non-participating). The OR for developing childhood leukemia in the high current category was 1.43 (95% CI: 0.91, 2.26) when participating cases were compared to first-choice participating controls, but no associations were observed when participating cases were compared to non-participating controls (OR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.57) or to replacement controls (OR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.60). CONCLUSIONS The observed risk estimates vary by type of control group, and no statistically significant association between wire codes and childhood leukemia is observed in the California population participating in the NCCLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danna A Slusky
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States.
| | - Monique Does
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Catherine Metayer
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Gabor Mezei
- Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - Steve Selvin
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Patricia A Buffler
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
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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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11
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Alavanja MCR, Ross MK, Bonner MR. Increased cancer burden among pesticide applicators and others due to pesticide exposure. CA Cancer J Clin 2013; 63:120-42. [PMID: 23322675 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing number of well-designed epidemiological and molecular studies provide substantial evidence that the pesticides used in agricultural, commercial, and home and garden applications are associated with excess cancer risk. This risk is associated both with those applying the pesticide and, under some conditions, those who are simply bystanders to the application. In this article, the epidemiological, molecular biology, and toxicological evidence emerging from recent literature assessing the link between specific pesticides and several cancers including prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and breast cancer are integrated. Although the review is not exhaustive in its scope or depth, the literature does strongly suggest that the public health problem is real. If we are to avoid the introduction of harmful chemicals into the environment in the future, the integrated efforts of molecular biology, pesticide toxicology, and epidemiology are needed to help identify the human carcinogens and thereby improve our understanding of human carcinogenicity and reduce cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C R Alavanja
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, North Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Luginaah IN, Gorey KM, Oiamo TH, Tang KX, Holowaty EJ, Hamm C, Wright FC. A geographical analysis of breast cancer clustering in southern Ontario: generating hypotheses on environmental influences. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2011; 22:232-248. [PMID: 22129067 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2011.634386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This article presents the results of spatial analysis of breast cancer clustering in southern Ontario. Data from the Cancer Care Ontario were analyzed using the Scan Statistic at the level of county, with further analysis conducted within counties that were identified as primary clusters at the dissemination area level. The results identified five counties as primary clusters of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1986 and 2002: Essex (relative risk [RR] =1.096-1.061; p<0.001), Lambton (RR=1.05-1.167), Chatham-Kent (RR=1.133-1.191), Niagara (RR=1.228-1.290) and Toronto (RR=1.152-1.146). The within county analysis revealed several DAs with significantly higher (RR>3, p<0.05) rates of breast cancer, and supports our hypothesis that breast cancer risk in southern Ontario may be associated with industrial and environmental (such as pesticides) pollutants. Further research is needed to verify the environmental links within the identified clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac N Luginaah
- Department of Geography, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of ecologic or aggregate data suffer from a broad range of biases when scientific interest lies with individual-level associations. To overcome these biases, epidemiologists can choose from a range of designs that combine these group-level data with individual-level data. The individual-level data provide information to identify, evaluate, and control bias, whereas the group-level data are often readily accessible and provide gains in efficiency and power. Within this context, the literature on developing models, particularly multilevel models, is well-established, but little work has been published to help researchers choose among competing designs and plan additional data collection. METHODS We review recently proposed "combined" group- and individual-level designs and methods that collect and analyze data at 2 levels of aggregation. These include aggregate data designs, hierarchical related regression, two-phase designs, and hybrid designs for ecologic inference. RESULTS The various methods differ in (i) the data elements available at the group and individual levels and (ii) the statistical techniques used to combine the 2 data sources. Implementing these techniques requires care, and it may often be simpler to ignore the group-level data once the individual-level data are collected. A simulation study, based on birth-weight data from North Carolina, is used to illustrate the benefit of incorporating group-level information. CONCLUSIONS Our focus is on settings where there are individual-level data to supplement readily accessible group-level data. In this context, no single design is ideal. Choosing which design to adopt depends primarily on the model of interest and the nature of the available group-level data.
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Simpkins JW, Swenberg JA, Weiss N, Brusick D, Eldridge JC, Stevens JT, Handa RJ, Hovey RC, Plant TM, Pastoor TP, Breckenridge CB. Atrazine and breast cancer: a framework assessment of the toxicological and epidemiological evidence. Toxicol Sci 2011; 123:441-59. [PMID: 21768606 PMCID: PMC3179673 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfr176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The causal relationship between atrazine exposure and the occurrence of breast cancer in women was evaluated using the framework developed by Adami et al. (2011) wherein biological plausibility and epidemiological evidence were combined to conclude that a causal relationship between atrazine exposure and breast cancer is “unlikely”. Carcinogenicity studies in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) but not Fischer-344 rats indicate that high doses of atrazine caused a decreased latency and an increased incidence of combined adenocarcinoma and fibroadenoma mammary tumors. There were no effects of atrazine on any other tumor type in male or female SD or Fischer-344 rats or in three strains of mice. Seven key events that precede tumor expression in female SD rats were identified. Atrazine induces mammary tumors in aging female SD rats by suppressing the luteinizing hormone surge, thereby supporting a state of persistent estrus and prolonged exposure to endogenous estrogen and prolactin. This endocrine mode of action has low biological plausibility for women because women who undergo reproductive senescence have low rather than elevated levels of estrogen and prolactin. Four alternative modes of action (genotoxicity, estrogenicity, upregulation of aromatase gene expression or delayed mammary gland development) were considered and none could account for the tumor response in SD rats. Epidemiological studies provide no support for a causal relationship between atrazine exposure and breast cancer. This conclusion is consistent with International Agency for Research on Cancer’s classification of atrazine as “unclassifiable as to carcinogenicity” and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's classification of atrazine as “not likely to be carcinogenic.”
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Simpkins
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurosciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, USA
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15
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Gunier RB, Ward MH, Airola M, Bell EM, Colt J, Nishioka M, Buffler PA, Reynolds P, Rull RP, Hertz A, Metayer C, Nuckols JR. Determinants of agricultural pesticide concentrations in carpet dust. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2011; 119:970-6. [PMID: 21330232 PMCID: PMC3222988 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1002532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2010] [Accepted: 02/17/2011] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residential proximity to agricultural pesticide applications has been used as a surrogate for exposure in epidemiologic studies, although little is known about the relationship with levels of pesticides in homes. OBJECTIVE We identified determinants of concentrations of agricultural pesticides in dust. METHODS We collected samples of carpet dust and mapped crops within 1,250 m of 89 residences in California. We measured concentrations of seven pesticides used extensively in agriculture (carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, chlorthal-dimethyl, diazinon, iprodione, phosmet, and simazine). We estimated use of agricultural pesticides near residences from a statewide database alone and by linking the database with crop maps. We calculated the density of pesticide use within 500 and 1,250 m of residences for 180, 365, and 730 days before collection of dust and evaluated relationships between agricultural pesticide use estimates and pesticide concentrations in carpet dust. RESULTS For five of the seven pesticides evaluated, residences with use of agricultural pesticides within 1,250 m during the previous 365 days had significantly higher concentrations of pesticides than did residences with no nearby use. The highest correlation with concentrations of pesticides was generally for use reported within 1,250 m of the residence and 730 days before sample collection. Regression models that also accounted for occupational and home use of pesticides explained only a modest amount of the variability in pesticide concentrations (4-28%). CONCLUSIONS Agricultural pesticide use near residences was a significant determinant of concentrations of pesticides in carpet dust for five of seven pesticides evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Gunier
- Cancer Prevention Institute of California, Berkeley, California 94704, USA.
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16
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Breast Cancer Risk Associated With Residential Proximity to Industrial Plants in Canada. J Occup Environ Med 2011; 53:522-9. [DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e318216d0b3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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17
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Jowa L, Howd R. Should atrazine and related chlorotriazines be considered carcinogenic for human health risk assessment? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENESIS & ECOTOXICOLOGY REVIEWS 2011; 29:91-144. [PMID: 21660819 DOI: 10.1080/10590501.2011.577681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Chloro-s-triazines have been a mainstay of preemergent pesticides for a number of decades and have generally been regarded as having low human toxicity. Atrazine, the major pesticide in this class, has been extensively studied. In a number of experimental studies, exposure to high doses of atrazine resulted in increased weight loss not attributable to decreased food intake. Chronic studies of atrazine and simazine and their common metabolites show an elevated incidence of mammary tumors only in female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. On the basis of the clear tumor increase in female SD rats, atrazine was proposed to be classified as a likely human carcinogen by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1999. With Fischer rats, all strains of mice, and dogs, there was no evidence of increased incidence of atrazine-associated tumors of any type. Evidence related to the pivotal role of hormonal control of the estrus cycle in SD rats appears to indicate that the mechanism for mammary tumor induction is specific to this strain of rats and thus is not relevant to humans. In humans the menstrual cycle is controlled by estrogen released by the ovary rather than depending on the LH surge, as estrus is in SD rats. However, the relevance of the tumors to humans continues to be debated based on endocrine effects of triazines. No strong evidence exists for atrazine mutagenicity, while there is evidence of clastogenicity at elevated concentrations. Atrazine does not appear to interact strongly with estrogen receptors α or β but may interact with putative estrogen receptor GPR30 (G-protein-coupled receptor). A large number of epidemiologic studies conducted on manufacturing workers, pesticide applicators, and farming families do not indicate that triazines are carcinogenic in these populations. A rat-specific hormonal mechanism for mammary tumors has now been accepted by US EPA, International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the European Union. Chlorotriazines do influence endocrine responses, but their potential impact on humans appears to be primarily on reproduction and development and is not related to carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubow Jowa
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Sacramento, CA 95812, USA.
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18
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Grassi TF, Rodrigues MAM, de Camargo JLV, Barbisan LF. Evaluation of carcinogenic potential of diuron in a rat mammary two-stage carcinogenesis model. Toxicol Pathol 2011; 39:486-95. [PMID: 21398560 DOI: 10.1177/0192623310396904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of the herbicide Diuron in a two-stage rat medium-term mammary carcinogenesis model initiated by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Female seven-week-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were allocated to six groups: groups G1 to G4 received intragastrically (i.g.) a single 50 mg/kg dose of DMBA; groups G5 and G6 received single administration of canola oil (vehicle of DMBA). Groups G1 and G5 received a basal diet, and groups G2, G3, G4, and G6 were fed the basal diet with the addition of Diuron at 250, 1250, 2500, and 2500 ppm, respectively. After twenty-five weeks, the animals were euthanized and mammary tumors were histologically confirmed and quantified. Tumor samples were also processed for immunohistochemical evaluation of the expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cleaved caspase-3, estrogen receptor-α (ER-α), p63, bcl-2, and bak. Diuron treatment did not increase the incidence or multiplicity of mammary tumors (groups G2 to G4 versus Group G1). Also, exposure to Diuron did not alter tumor growth (cell proliferation and apoptosis indexes) or immunoreactivity to ER-α, p63 (myoephitelial marker), or bcl-2 and bak (apoptosis regulatory proteins). These findings indicate that Diuron does not have a promoting potential on mammary carcinogenesis in female SD rats initiated with DMBA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Fernando Grassi
- Medical School, UNESP-São Paulo State University, Department of Pathology, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
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19
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Sathiakumar N, MacLennan PA, Mandel J, Delzell E. A review of epidemiologic studies of triazine herbicides and cancer. Crit Rev Toxicol 2011; 41 Suppl 1:1-34. [DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2011.554793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Jacquez GM, Slotnick MJ, Meliker JR, AvRuskin G, Copeland G, Nriagu J. Accuracy of commercially available residential histories for epidemiologic studies. Am J Epidemiol 2011; 173:236-43. [PMID: 21084554 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwq350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A key problem facing epidemiologists who wish to account for residential mobility in their analyses is the cost and difficulty of obtaining residential histories. Commercial residential history data of acceptable accuracy, cost, and coverage would be of great value. The present research evaluated the accuracy of residential histories from LexisNexis, Inc. The authors chose LexisNexis because the Michigan Cancer Registry has considered using their data, they have excellent procedures for privacy protection, and they make available residential histories at 25 cents per person. Only first and last name and address at last-known residence are required to access the residential history. The authors compared lifetime residential histories collected through the use of written surveys in a case-control study of bladder cancer in Michigan to the 3 residential addresses routinely available in the address history from LexisNexis. The LexisNexis address matches, as a whole, accounted for 71.5% of participants' lifetime addresses. These results provided a level of accuracy that indicates routine use of residential histories from commercial vendors is feasible. More detailed residential histories are available at a higher cost but were not analyzed in this study. Although higher accuracy is desirable, LexisNexis data are a vast improvement over the assumption of immobile individuals currently used in many spatial and spatiotemporal studies.
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Meliker JR, Sloan CD. Spatio-temporal epidemiology: principles and opportunities. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2010; 2:1-9. [PMID: 22749546 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2010] [Revised: 08/19/2010] [Accepted: 10/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Space-time analysis of disease data has historically involved the search for patterns in aggregated data to identify how regions of high and low risk change through time. Space-time analysis of aggregated data has great value, but represents only a subset of space-time epidemiologic applications. Technological advances for tracking and mapping individuals (e.g., global positioning systems) have introduced mobile populations as an important element in space-time epidemiology. We review five domains critical to the developing field of spatio-temporal epidemiology: (1) spatio-temporal epidemiologic theory, (2) selection of appropriate spatial scale of analysis, (3) choice of spatial/spatio-temporal method for pattern identification, (4) individual-level exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies, and (5) assessment and consideration of locational and attribute uncertainty. This review provides an introduction to principles of space-time epidemiology and highlights future research opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaymie R Meliker
- Graduate Program in Public Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, HSC L3 Rm 071, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, USA.
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22
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Maxwell SK, Meliker JR, Goovaerts P. Use of land surface remotely sensed satellite and airborne data for environmental exposure assessment in cancer research. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2010; 20:176-85. [PMID: 19240763 PMCID: PMC4341821 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2009.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2008] [Accepted: 12/08/2008] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, geographic information systems (GIS) have increasingly been used for reconstructing individual-level exposures to environmental contaminants in epidemiological research. Remotely sensed data can be useful in creating space-time models of environmental measures. The primary advantage of using remotely sensed data is that it allows for study at the local scale (e.g., residential level) without requiring expensive, time-consuming monitoring campaigns. The purpose of our study was to identify how land surface remotely sensed data are currently being used to study the relationship between cancer and environmental contaminants, focusing primarily on agricultural chemical exposure assessment applications. We present the results of a comprehensive literature review of epidemiological research where remotely sensed imagery or land cover maps derived from remotely sensed imagery were applied. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of the most commonly used imagery data (aerial photographs and Landsat satellite imagery) and land cover maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan K Maxwell
- U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resource Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57198, USA.
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Huculeci R, Dinu D, Staicu AC, Munteanu MC, Costache M, Dinischiotu A. Malathion-induced alteration of the antioxidant defence system in kidney, gill, and intestine of Carassius auratus gibelio. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2009; 24:523-530. [PMID: 19051277 DOI: 10.1002/tox.20454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides such as malathion, commonly used in agriculture and households, are toxic substances that lead to reactive oxygen species generation, which harms organisms. Ecotoxicological consequences of malathion, particularly its effects on antioxidants in fish, are not well understood. Thus, we investigated the effects of malathion (0.05 mg/L) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant systems in Carassius auratus gibelio kidney, intestine, and gills following exposure times of 1, 2, 3, and 6 days. The lipid peroxidation and antioxidative defense mechanisms display different responses in investigated tissues. The lipid peroxidation was increased in all investigated tissues, especially after 1 day of malathion administration. Changes in reduced glutathione levels have been registered, mainly after 6 days of pesticide exposure. The modulation in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, catalase, gluthatione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione-S-transferase was time and tissue specific. The investigated parameters can be used as biomarkers of fish exposure to malathion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radu Huculeci
- Molecular Biology Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
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24
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de Moura NA, Grassi TF, Rodrigues MAM, Barbisan LF. Potential effects of the herbicide Diuron on mammary and urinary bladder two-stage carcinogenesis in a female Swiss mouse model. Arch Toxicol 2009; 84:165-73. [DOI: 10.1007/s00204-009-0477-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2009] [Accepted: 10/08/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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25
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Steingraber S. What we know about pesticides and breast cancer. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2009; 24:345-355. [PMID: 20384044 DOI: 10.1515/reveh.2009.24.4.345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Steingraber
- Interdisciplinary and International Studies Program, Ithaca College, 14 Bradley Street, Ithaca 14886, New York, USA
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26
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Dai D, Oyana TJ. Spatial variations in the incidence of breast cancer and potential risks associated with soil dioxin contamination in Midland, Saginaw, and Bay Counties, Michigan, USA. Environ Health 2008; 7:49. [PMID: 18939976 PMCID: PMC2577707 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-7-49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2008] [Accepted: 10/21/2008] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High levels of dioxins in soil and higher-than-average body burdens of dioxins in local residents have been found in the city of Midland and the Tittabawassee River floodplain in Michigan. The objective of this study is threefold: (1) to evaluate dioxin levels in soils; (2) to evaluate the spatial variations in breast cancer incidence in Midland, Saginaw, and Bay Counties in Michigan; (3) to evaluate whether breast cancer rates are spatially associated with the dioxin contamination areas. METHODS We acquired 532 published soil dioxin data samples collected from 1995 to 2003 and data pertaining to female breast cancer cases (n = 4,604) at ZIP code level in Midland, Saginaw, and Bay Counties for years 1985 through 2002. Descriptive statistics and self-organizing map algorithm were used to evaluate dioxin levels in soils. Geographic information systems techniques, the Kulldorff's spatial and space-time scan statistics, and genetic algorithms were used to explore the variation in the incidence of breast cancer in space and space-time. Odds ratio and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals, with adjustment for age, were used to investigate a spatial association between breast cancer incidence and soil dioxin contamination. RESULTS High levels of dioxin in soils were observed in the city of Midland and the Tittabawassee River 100-year floodplain. After adjusting for age, we observed high breast cancer incidence rates and detected the presence of spatial clusters in the city of Midland, the confluence area of the Tittabawassee, and Saginaw Rivers. After accounting for spatiotemporal variations, we observed a spatial cluster of breast cancer incidence in Midland between 1985 and 1993. The odds ratio further suggests a statistically significant (alpha = 0.05) increased breast cancer rate as women get older, and a higher disease burden in Midland and the surrounding areas in close proximity to the dioxin contaminated areas. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that increased breast cancer incidences are spatially associated with soil dioxin contamination. Aging is a substantial factor in the development of breast cancer. Findings can be used for heightened surveillance and education, as well as formulating new study hypotheses for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajun Dai
- Environmental Resources and Policy Program, Southern Illinois University, 405 West Grand Avenue, MC 4637, Carbondale, IL 62901-4637, USA
- Department of Geography, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - Tonny J Oyana
- Department of Geography and Environmental Resources, Southern Illinois University, 1000 Faner Drive, MC 4514, Carbondale, IL 62901-4514, USA
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Haneuse S, Wakefield J. Geographic-based ecological correlation studies using supplemental case-control data. Stat Med 2008; 27:864-87. [PMID: 17624917 DOI: 10.1002/sim.2979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that the ecological study design suffers from a variety of biases that render the interpretation of its results difficult. Despite its limitations, however, the ecological study design is still widely used in a range of disciplines. The only solution to the ecological inference problem is to supplement the aggregate data with individual-level data and, to this end, Haneuse and Wakefield (Biometrics 2007; 63:128-136) recently proposed a hybrid study design in which an ecological study is supplemented with a sample of case-control data. The latter provides the basis for the control of bias, while the former may provide efficiency gains. Building on that work, we illustrate the use of the hybrid design in the context of a geographical correlation study of lung cancer mortality from the state of Ohio. Focusing on epidemiological applications, we initially provide an overview of the use of ecological studies in scientific research, highlighting the breadth of current application as well as advantages and drawbacks of the design. We consider the interplay between the two sources of information in the design: ecological and case-control, and then provide details on a Bayesian spatial random effects model in the setting of the hybrid design. Issues of specification are addressed, as well as sensitivity to modeling assumptions. Further, an interesting feature of these data is that they provide an example of how the proposed design may be used to resolve the ecological fallacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Haneuse
- Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
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Allpress JLE, Curry RJ, Hanchette CL, Phillips MJ, Wilcosky TC. A GIS-based method for household recruitment in a prospective pesticide exposure study. Int J Health Geogr 2008; 7:18. [PMID: 18447932 PMCID: PMC2396611 DOI: 10.1186/1476-072x-7-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2007] [Accepted: 04/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in GIS technology and remote sensing have provided new opportunities to collect ecologic data on agricultural pesticide exposure. Many pesticide studies have used historical or records-based data on crops and their associated pesticide applications to estimate exposure by measuring residential proximity to agricultural fields. Very few of these studies collected environmental and biological samples from study participants. One of the reasons for this is the cost of identifying participants who reside near study fields and analyzing samples obtained from them. In this paper, we present a cost-effective, GIS-based method for crop field selection and household recruitment in a prospective pesticide exposure study in a remote location. For the most part, our multi-phased approach was carried out in a research facility, but involved two brief episodes of fieldwork for ground truthing purposes. This method was developed for a larger study designed to examine the validity of indirect pesticide exposure estimates by comparing measured exposures in household dust, water and urine with records-based estimates that use crop location, residential proximity and pesticide application data. The study focused on the pesticide atrazine, a broadleaf herbicide used in corn production and one of the most widely-used pesticides in the U.S. RESULTS We successfully used a combination of remotely-sensed data, GIS-based methods and fieldwork to select study fields and recruit participants in Illinois, a state with high corn production and heavy atrazine use. Our several-step process consisted of the identification of potential study fields and residential areas using aerial photography; verification of crop patterns and land use via site visits; development of a GIS-based algorithm to define recruitment areas around crop fields; acquisition of geocoded household-level data within each recruitment area from a commercial vendor; and confirmation of final participant household locations via ground truthing. The use of these procedures resulted in a sufficient sample of participants from 14 recruitment areas in seven Illinois counties. CONCLUSION One of the challenges in pesticide research is the identification and recruitment of study participants, which is time consuming and costly, especially when the study site is in a remote location. We have demonstrated how GIS-based processes can be used to recruit participants, increase efficiency and enhance accuracy. The method that we used ultimately made it possible to collect biological samples from a specific demographic group within strictly defined exposure areas, with little advance knowledge of the location or population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine LE Allpress
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ross J Curry
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Carol L Hanchette
- Department of Geography & Geosciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Michael J Phillips
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Timothy C Wilcosky
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Cai X, Liu W, Sheng G. Enantioselective degradation and ecotoxicity of the chiral herbicide diclofop in three freshwater alga cultures. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2008; 56:2139-2146. [PMID: 18318497 DOI: 10.1021/jf0728855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Aryloxyphenoxypropanoates are a class of chiral herbicides. They have a pair of enantiomers, only the R(+) form of which is herbicidally active. Diclofop, the model compound of these herbicides, is commercialized as the racemate of the ester form, diclofop-methyl, consisting of a 1:1 mixture of the enantiomers. This study evaluated the enantioselectivity in aquatic toxicity and biodegradation of diclofop and diclofop-methyl. The herbicidally inactive S(-) enantiomers of both diclofop-methyl and diclofop were similar to or higher than the corresponding R(+) forms in toxicity to algae, depending on specific species. Although no enantiomeric conversion occurred for diclofop-methyl and diclofop, the difference in the enantioselective degradation of these herbicides observed in algae cultures suggested that their application forms were an important factor determining their enantioselective environmental behavior. The cell permeability and heat treatment of algae revealed that the enantioselective degradation of diclofop in algae cultures was governed primarily by the facilitated uptake by algae, whereas the enantioselective toxicity was primarily governed by the passive uptake. These results suggested that the acute toxicity test such as the 96 h EC 50 was insufficient to assess the ecological risk of chiral pesticides because of the differential degradation as well as possibly differential action sites of enantiomers. From this study, it was concluded that the enantioselective degradation and toxicity of chiral herbicides may result in their ecotoxicological effects being difficult to predict and that specific attention should thus be paid to currently used racemic pesticides as less active or inactive enantiomers may pose higher ecological risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyun Cai
- Research Center of Environmental Science, College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
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Nuckols JR, Gunier RB, Riggs P, Miller R, Reynolds P, Ward MH. Linkage of the California Pesticide Use Reporting Database with spatial land use data for exposure assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2007; 115:684-9. [PMID: 17520053 PMCID: PMC1867967 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.9518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2006] [Accepted: 01/03/2007] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The State of California maintains a comprehensive Pesticide Use Reporting Database (CPUR). The California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) maps all crops in agricultural counties in California about once every 5 years. OBJECTIVE We integrated crop maps with CPUR to more accurately locate where pesticides are applied and evaluated the effects for exposure assessment. METHODS We mapped 577 residences and used the CPUR and CDWR data to compute two exposure metrics based on putative pesticide use within a 500-m buffer. For the CPUR metric, we assigned pesticide exposure to the residence proportionally for all square-mile Sections that intersected the buffer. For the CDWR metric, we linked CPUR crop-specific pesticide use to crops mapped within the buffer and assigned pesticide exposure. We compared the metrics for six pesticides: simazine, trifluralin (herbicides), dicofol, propargite (insecticides), methyl bromide, and metam sodium (fumigants). RESULTS For all six pesticides we found good agreement (88-98%) as to whether the pesticide use was predicted. When we restricted the analysis to residences with reported pesticide use in Sections within 500 m, agreement was greatly reduced (35-58%). The CPUR metric estimates of pesticide use within 500 m were significantly higher than the CDWR metric for all six pesticides. CONCLUSIONS Our findings may have important implications for exposure classification in epidemiologic studies of agricultural pesticide use using CPUR. There is a need to conduct environmental and biological measurements to ascertain which, if any, of these metrics best represent exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Nuckols
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1681, USA.
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Meliker JR, Slotnick MJ, Avruskin GA, Kaufmann A, Fedewa SA, Goovaerts P, Jacquez GJ, Nriagu JO. Individual lifetime exposure to inorganic arsenic using a space-time information system. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2006; 80:184-97. [PMID: 16897097 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-006-0119-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2005] [Accepted: 04/26/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A space-time information system (STIS) based method is introduced for calculating individual-level estimates of inorganic arsenic exposure over the adult life-course. STIS enables visualization and analysis of space-time data, overcoming some of the constraints inherent to spatial-only Geographic Information System software. The power of this new methodology is demonstrated using data from southeastern Michigan where 8% of the population is exposed to arsenic >10 microg/l (the World Health Organization guideline) in home drinking water. METHODS Participants (N=440) are members of a control group in a population-based bladder cancer case-control study in southeastern Michigan and were recruited by phone using random digit dialing. Water samples were collected and analyzed for arsenic at current residence and participants were required to answer questions concerning lifetime mobility history and dietary habits. Inorganic arsenic concentrations were estimated at past residences and workplaces, and in select foods. Fluid and food consumption data were integrated with mobility histories and arsenic concentrations to calculate continuous estimates of inorganic arsenic intake over the adult life-course. RESULTS Estimates of continuous arsenic exposure are displayed, making use of both participant age and calendar year as measures of time. Results illustrate considerable temporal variability in individual-level exposure, with 26% of the participants experiencing a change in drinking water arsenic concentration of at least +/-10 microg/l over their adult lives. The average cumulative intake over the adult life-course ranges from 2.53 x 10(4)-1.30 x 10(5) microg, depending on the selected exposure metric. CONCLUSIONS The STIS-based exposure assessment method allows for flexible inclusion of different parameters or alternative formulations of those parameters, thus enabling the calculation of different exposure metrics. This flexibility is particularly useful when additional exposure routes are considered, input datasets are updated, or when a scientific consensus does not exist regarding the proper formulation of the exposure metric. These results demonstrate the potential of STIS as a useful tool for calculating continuous estimates of adult lifetime exposure to arsenic or other environmental contaminants for application in exposure and risk assessment.
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Coronado GD, Vigoren EM, Thompson B, Griffith WC, Faustman EM. Organophosphate pesticide exposure and work in pome fruit: evidence for the take-home pesticide pathway. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2006; 114:999-1006. [PMID: 16835050 PMCID: PMC1513343 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.8620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are commonly used in the United States, and farmworkers are at risk for chronic exposure. Using a sample of 218 farmworkers in 24 communities and labor camps in eastern Washington State, we examined the association between agricultural crop and OP pesticide metabolite concentrations in urine samples of adult farmworkers and their children and OP pesticide residues in house and vehicle dust samples. Commonly reported crops were apples (71.6%), cherries (59.6%), pears (37.2%), grapes (27.1%), hops (22.9%), and peaches (12.4%). Crops were grouped into two main categories: pome fruits (apples and pears) and non-pome fruits. Farmworkers who worked in the pome fruits had significantly higher concentrations of dimethyl pesticide metabolites in their urine and elevated azinphos-methyl concentrations in their homes and vehicles than workers who did not work in these crops. Among pome-fruit workers, those who worked in both apples and pears had higher urinary metabolites concentrations and pesticide residue concentrations in dust than did those who worked in a single pome fruit. Children living in households with pome-fruit workers were found to have higher concentrations of urinary dimethyl metabolites than did children of non-pome-fruit workers. Adult urinary concentrations showed significant correlations with both the vehicle and house-dust azinphos-methyl concentrations, and child urinary concentrations were correlated significantly with adult urinary concentrations and with the house-dust azinphos-methyl concentration. The results provide support for the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure and show an association between measures of pesticide exposure and the number of pome-fruit crops worked by farmworkers.
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