Pancreatic cancer mortality and organochlorine pesticide exposure in California, 1989–1996

Abstract

Background Occupational studies have suggested a possible link between organochlorine pesticides and the occurrence of pancreatic cancers. California maintains a death file and a pesticide reporting system that allows examination of this relationship for residents of high use areas. Methods We employed a mortality odds ratio design to compare deaths from pancreatic cancer (1989–1996) with a random sample of non-cancer deaths. Using pesticide data for three agricultural counties, we classified 102 ZIP codes in quartiles of pesticide usage for 1972–1989. Using logistic regression we estimated the effect of pesticide applications by ZIP code controlling for possible confounders. Results Among long-term residents, pancreatic cancer mortality was elevated for those living in ZIP codes with the highest use of four pesticides: 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-d), captafol, pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), and dieldrin. No dose-response relationship was observed. Conclusions Our study suggests increased pancreatic cancer mortality among long-term residents in areas of high application rates of 1,3-d (an EPA-classified probable human carcinogen), captafol, pentacholoronitrobenzene (PCNB), and dieldrin. Am. J. Ind. Med. 43:306–313, 2003.