THE ESSENTIAL
- An American study has identified 22 pesticides associated with an increase in cases of prostate cancer, including four linked to increased mortality.
- By analyzing the use of pesticides over a period of 10 to 18 years before the appearance of cancers, researchers found that certain products, such as the herbicide 2,4-D, often used in the United States, increase the risks .
- Of the four pesticides associated with mortality, only trifluralin is classified as a “possible carcinogen.”
A new study has identified 22 pesticides consistently associated with prostate cancer incidence in the United States, and four of them are also linked to mortality from the disease. Published in the journal Cancerthis research could shed light on the geographic disparities observed in prostate cancer rates, and thus contribute to a better understanding of environmental health risks.
Herbicides, fongicides, insecticides…
To arrive at this observation, researchers from Stanford University (United States) analyzed the use of 295 pesticides in several American counties, focusing on an exposure period ranging from 10 to 18 years before the appearance of cancer. This time lag makes it possible to better understand the long-term effects, as prostate cancer is generally slow to develop. Thus, the use of pesticides between 1997 and 2001 was compared to cases of cancer between 2011 and 2015, and the same for the periods 2002-2006 and 2016-2020.
Among the 22 pesticides identified as being associated with an increase in the incidence of prostate cancer, three had already been implicated in previous research, notably 2,4-D, one of the most used herbicides in the UNITED STATES. The other 19 pesticides, which have not previously been linked to this type of cancer, include a variety of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and even a soil fumigant (a type of gas).
Better prevention of prostate cancer?
Among the pesticides associated with a higher incidence of prostate cancer, four of them stand out for their link to mortality from this disease. These are three herbicides (trifluralin, cloransulam-methyl and diflufenzopyr) and one insecticide (thiamethoxam). Surprisingly, only trifluralin is classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “possible carcinogen to humans”. The other three are considered to present a low risk of carcinogenicity, or even non-carcinogenic.
“This research demonstrates the importance of studying environmental exposures, such as pesticide use, to explain the geographic variations seen in prostate cancer cases and deaths in the United States.”notes Dr Simon John Christoph Soerensen, main author of the work, in a press release. By identifying these risky chemical substances, research opens the way to preventive actions which could, ultimately, reduce the incidence of this cancer in men.
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