Skip to main content
Log in

Agricultural use of organophosphate pesticides and the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among male farmers (United States)

  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: Data from three population-based case–control studies conducted in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota were pooled to evaluate the relationship between the use of organophosphate pesticides and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) among white male farmers.

Methods: The data set included 748 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 2236 population-based controls. Telephone or in-person interviews were utilized to obtain information on the use of pesticides. Odds ratios (OR) adjusted for age, state of residence, and respondent status, as well as other pesticide use where appropriate, were estimated by logistic regression.

Results: Use of organophosphate pesticides was associated with a statistically significant 50% increased risk of NHL, but direct interviews showed a significantly lower risk (OR = 1.2) than proxy interviews (OR = 3.0). Among direct interviews the risk of small lymphocytic lymphoma increased with diazinon use (OR = 2.8), after adjustment for other pesticide exposures.

Conclusions: Although we found associations between the risk of NHL and several groupings and specific organophosphate pesticides, larger risks from proxy respondents complicate interpretation. Associations, however, between reported use of diazinon and NHL, particularly diffuse and small lymphocytic lymphoma, among subjects providing direct interviews are not easily discounted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jamal GA (1997) Neurological syndromes of organophosphorus compounds. Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev 16: 133–170.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Blair A, Axelson O, Franklin C, et al. (1990) Carcinogenic effects of pesticides. In: Baker SR, Wilkinson CF, eds. The Effect of Pesticides on Human Health. Princeton: Princeton Scientific Publishing Co., pp. 201–260.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Zahm SH, Weisenburger DD, Babbitt PA, et al. (1990) A case-control study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in eastern Nebraska. Epidemiology 1: 349–356.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cantor KP, Blair A, Everett G, et al. (1992) Pesticides and other agricultural risk factors for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among men in Iowa and Minnesota. Cancer Res 52: 2447–2455.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Zahm SH, Weisenburger DD, Saal RC, et al. (1993) The role of agricultural pesticide use in the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in women. Arch Environ Health 48: 353–358.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Blair A, Cantor KP, Zahm SH (1998) Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and agricultural use of the insecticide lindane. Am J Ind Med 33: 82–87.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Baris D, Zahm SH, Cantor KP, et al. (1998) Agricultural use of DDT and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: pooled analysis of three case-control studies in the United States. Occup Environ Med 55: 522–527.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hoar SK, Blair A, Holmes FF, et al. (1986) Agricultural herbicide use and risk of lymphoma and soft tissue sarcoma. JAMA 256: 1141–1147.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Pathologic Classification Project (1982) National Cancer Institute-sponsored study of classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: summary and description of a working formulation for clinical usage. Cancer 49: 2112–2135.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dick FR, Van Lier SF, McKeen K, et al. (1987) Nonconcurrence in abstracted diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 78: 675–678.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dick F, Van Lier S, Banks P, et al. (1987) Use of the Working Formulation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in epidemiologic studies: agreement between reported diagnoses and a panel of experienced pathologists. J Natl Cancer Inst 78: 1137–1144.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Waksberg J (1978) Sampling methods for random digit dialing. J Am Stat Assoc 73: 40–46.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cantor KP, Blair A, Brown LM, Burmeister LF, Everett G (1993) Correspondence re: KP Cantor et al., pesticides and other agricultural risk factors for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among men in Iowa and Minnesota (letter). Cancer Res 53: 2421.

    Google Scholar 

  14. SAS (1990) SAS Language: reference. Version 6, 1st edn. North Carolina: SAS Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zahm SH, Ward MH, Blair A (1997) Pesticides and cancer. Occupational Medicine: State of the art reviews. 12: 269–289. Philadelphia: Hanley & Belfus.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Dich J, Zahm SH, Hanberg A, Adami H-O (1997) Pesticides and cancer. Cancer Causes Control 8: 420–443.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Brown LM, Dosemeci M, Blair A, et al. (1990) Comparability of data obtained from farmers and surrogate respondents on the use of agricultural pesticides. Am J Epidemiol 134: 348–355.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Boyle CA, Brann EA (1992) Proxy respondents and the validity of occupational and other exposure data. Am J Epidemiol 136: 712–721.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Blair A, Zahm SH (1993) Patterns of pesticide use among farmers: implications for epidemiologic research. Epidemiology 4: 55–62.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Johnson RA, Mandel JS, Gibson RW, et al. (1993) Data on prior pesticide use collected for self and proxy respondents. Epidemiology 4: 157–164.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Blair A, Kross B, Stewart PA, et al. (1995) Comparability of information on pesticide use obtained from farmers and their proxy respondents. J Agric Safety Health 1: 165–176.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Newcombe DS (1992) Immune surveillance, organophosphorus exposure, and lymphomagenesis. Lancet 339: 539–541.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Weisenburger DD (1992) Pathological classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for epidemiological studies. Cancer Res (Suppl.) 52: 545s–564s.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Burmeister LF, Van Lier SF, Issacson P (1982) Leukemia and farm practices in Iowa. Am J Epidemiol 115: 720–728.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Blair A, White DW (1985) Leukemia cell types and agricultural practices in Nebraska. Arch Environ Health 40: 211–214.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Pearce NE, Sheppard RA, Howard JK, et al. (1986) Leukemia among New Zealand agricultural workers. Am J Epidemiol 124: 402–409.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Brown LM, Blair A, Gibson R, et al. (1990) Pesticide exposures and other agricultural risk factors for leukemia among men in Iowa and Minnesota. Cancer Res 50: 6585–6591.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Checkoway H, Pearce NE, Crawford-Brown DJ (1989) Research Methods in Occupational Epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Gordis L (1983) Should dead cases be matched to dead controls. Am J Epidemiol 115: 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Waddell, B.L., Zahm, S.H., Baris, D. et al. Agricultural use of organophosphate pesticides and the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among male farmers (United States). Cancer Causes Control 12, 509–517 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011293208949

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011293208949

Navigation