Occupational exposure to pesticides and central nervous system tumors: results from the CERENAT case–control study

Abstract

Background:The etiology of the central nervous system (CNS) tumors remains largely unknown. The role of pesticide exposure has been suggested by several epidemiological studies, but with no de nitive conclusion. Objective: To analyze associations between occupational pesticide exposure and primary CNS tumors in adults in the CERENAT study. Methods: CERENAT is a multicenter case-control study conducted in France in [2004][2005][2006]. Data about occupational pesticide uses -in and outside agriculturewere collected during detailed face-to-face interviews and reviewed by experts for consistency and exposure assignment. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% con dence intervals ( 95% CI) were estimated with conditional logistic regression.Results: A total of 596 cases (273 gliomas, 218 meningiomas, 105 others) and 1 192 age-and sex-matched controls selected in the general population were analyzed. Direct and indirect exposures to pesticides in agriculture were respectively assigned to 125 (7.0%) and 629 (35.2%) individuals and exposure outside agriculture to 146 (8.2%) individuals. For overall agricultural exposure, we observed no increase in risk for all brain tumors (OR=1.04, 0.69-1.57) and a slight increase for gliomas (OR=1.37, 0.79-2.39). Risks for gliomas were higher when considering agricultural exposure for more than 10 years (OR=2.22, 0.94-2.24) and signi cantly trebled in open eld agriculture (OR=3.58, 1.20-0.70). Increases in risk were also observed in non-agricultural exposures, especially in green space workers who were directly exposed (OR=1.89, 0.82-4.39), and these were statistically signi cant for those exposed for over 10 years (OR=2.84, 1.15-6.99).Discussion: These data support some previous ndings regarding the potential role of occupational exposures to pesticides in CNS tumors, both inside and outside agriculture.

Agricultural activities and risk of central nervous system tumors among French farm managers: Results from the TRACTOR project

“…11 Another study reported a decreased risk in French viticulture for harvesting (OR = 0.50 [0.32-0.76]) but an elevated risk for long pesticide exposures. 10 Our results are closer to those of AGRICAN, with a positive trend observed in viticulture.…”

“…Other French studies are also limited both geographically and in scope, and pertained only to a small proportion of the agricultural workforce. [10][11][12] It is therefore paramount to consolidate existing and recent evidences by studying the entire French agricultural workforce on the whole metropolitan territory.…”

Risk Factors for Brain Health in Agricultural Work: A Systematic Review

“…Dividing farms by crop type, animal type, and potential for exposure to pesticides revealed that pesticides significantly impacted risk for brain cancer [ 98 ]. A study in France found that agricultural workers overall did not have higher rates of brain cancer, but that working in agriculture for over 10 years and pesticide exposure were strongly associated with brain cancer suggesting that pesticide exposure and not agricultural work itself may be the main risk factor [ 97 ].…”

“…Studies that did seek further information about job subtype often found differences between job subtypes [ 55 , 61 , 65 , 99 ]. Estimating time spent in the agricultural occupation is another important consideration [ 97 ]. Multiple studies found that the number of years spent in the profession moderated the relationship between agricultural work and brain health, possibly enhanced by exposure to pesticides [ 97 , 122 ].…”

“…Estimating time spent in the agricultural occupation is another important consideration [ 97 ]. Multiple studies found that the number of years spent in the profession moderated the relationship between agricultural work and brain health, possibly enhanced by exposure to pesticides [ 97 , 122 ]. The need to define agricultural work and collect meaningful measures of duration of time in that occupation and type of job within agriculture were prominent lessons gained from this review.…”