Skip to main content
PMC home page
Occupational and Environmental Medicine logoLink to Occupational and Environmental Medicine
. 1995 Sep;52(9):587–592. doi: 10.1136/oem.52.9.587

Bladder cancer among French farmers: does exposure to pesticides in vineyards play a part?

J F Viel 1, B Challier 1
PMCID: PMC1128311  PMID: 7550798

Abstract

OBJECTIVE--To appraise the potential contribution of pesticides sprayed on vineyards to the genesis of bladder cancer among agricultural workers. METHODS--A pesticide exposure index (PEI), based on labour time and the proportion of agricultural land used as vineyards, was constructed for 89 French geographical units (départements). The standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for bladder cancer, as well as tobacco consumption and economic status of male farmers and farm labourers aged 35-74 in the same areas were estimated for the period 1984-6. Models were fitted to the geographical data with Poisson regressions and extra-Poisson models with geographically structured and unstructured random effects. RESULTS--Mortality from bladder cancer among farmers was lower (but not significantly so) than within the overall population (SMR 0.96, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.85-1.08), but there was a significant link with exposure to pesticides in vineyards by univariate analysis (relative risk (RR) 1.17, 95% CI 1.10-1.24) and by multivariate analysis (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07-1.22). CONCLUSION--These results add some evidence to the view that pesticides in vineyards cause mortality from bladder cancer among farmers, and could explain the French south-north gradient in bladder cancer, as vineyards are mainly located in Southern France.

Full text

PDF
590

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adelstein A. M. Occupational mortality: cancer. Ann Occup Hyg. 1972 Apr;15(1):53–59. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/15.1.53. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blair A., Malker H., Cantor K. P., Burmeister L., Wiklund K. Cancer among farmers. A review. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1985 Dec;11(6):397–407. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burmeister L. F. Cancer mortality in Iowa farmers, 1971-78. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1981 Mar;66(3):461–464. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Claude J. C., Frentzel-Beyme R. R., Kunze E. Occupation and risk of cancer of the lower urinary tract among men. A case-control study. Int J Cancer. 1988 Mar 15;41(3):371–379. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910410309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Clayton D. G., Bernardinelli L., Montomoli C. Spatial correlation in ecological analysis. Int J Epidemiol. 1993 Dec;22(6):1193–1202. doi: 10.1093/ije/22.6.1193. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Delzell E., Grufferman S. Mortality among white and nonwhite farmers in North Carolina, 1976-1978. Am J Epidemiol. 1985 Mar;121(3):391–402. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fincham S. M., Hanson J., Berkel J. Patterns and risks of cancer in farmers in Alberta. Cancer. 1992 Mar 1;69(5):1276–1285. doi: 10.1002/cncr.2820690534. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Forastiere F., Quercia A., Miceli M., Settimi L., Terenzoni B., Rapiti E., Faustini A., Borgia P., Cavariani F., Perucci C. A. Cancer among farmers in central Italy. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1993 Dec;19(6):382–389. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.1458. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gallagher R. P., Threlfall W. J., Jeffries E., Band P. R., Spinelli J., Coldman A. J. Cancer and aplastic anemia in British Columbia farmers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1984 Jun;72(6):1311–1315. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. González C. A., López-Abente G., Errezola M., Escolar A., Riboli E., Izarzugaza I., Nebot M. Occupation and bladder cancer in Spain: a multi-centre case-control study. Int J Epidemiol. 1989 Sep;18(3):569–577. doi: 10.1093/ije/18.3.569. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Howe G. R., Burch J. D., Miller A. B., Cook G. M., Esteve J., Morrison B., Gordon P., Chambers L. W., Fodor G., Winsor G. M. Tobacco use, occupation, coffee, various nutrients, and bladder cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1980 Apr;64(4):701–713. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kabat G. C., Dieck G. S., Wynder E. L. Bladder cancer in nonsmokers. Cancer. 1986 Jan 15;57(2):362–367. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19860115)57:2<362::aid-cncr2820570229>3.0.co;2-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Levi F., Negri E., La Vecchia C., Te V. C. Socioeconomic groups and cancer risk at death in the Swiss Canton of Vaud. Int J Epidemiol. 1988 Dec;17(4):711–717. doi: 10.1093/ije/17.4.711. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Miller C. T., Neutel C. I., Nair R. C., Marrett L. D., Last J. M., Collins W. E. Relative importance of risk factors in bladder carcinogenesis. J Chronic Dis. 1978 Jan;31(1):51–56. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(78)90080-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Rafnsson V., Gunnarsdóttir H. Mortality among farmers in Iceland. Int J Epidemiol. 1989 Mar;18(1):146–151. doi: 10.1093/ije/18.1.146. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Reif J., Pearce N., Kawachi I., Fraser J. Soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other cancers in New Zealand forestry workers. Int J Cancer. 1989 Jan 15;43(1):49–54. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910430112. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Saftlas A. F., Blair A., Cantor K. P., Hanrahan L., Anderson H. A. Cancer and other causes of death among Wisconsin farmers. Am J Ind Med. 1987;11(2):119–129. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700110202. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Schoenberg J. B., Stemhagen A., Mogielnicki A. P., Altman R., Abe T., Mason T. J. Case-control study of bladder cancer in New Jersey. I. Occupational exposures in white males. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1984 May;72(5):973–981. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Silverman D. T., Hoover R. N., Albert S., Graff K. M. Occupation and cancer of the lower urinary tract in Detroit. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1983 Feb;70(2):237–245. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Stubbs H. A., Harris J., Spear R. C. A proportionate mortality analysis of California agricultural workers, 1978-1979. Am J Ind Med. 1984;6(4):305–320. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700060408. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Viel J. F., Richardson S. T. Adult leukemia and farm practices: an alternative approach for assessing geographical pesticide exposure. Soc Sci Med. 1991;32(9):1067–1073. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(91)90165-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Viel J. F., Richardson S. T. Lymphoma, multiple myeloma and leukaemia among French farmers in relation to pesticide exposure. Soc Sci Med. 1993 Sep;37(6):771–777. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(93)90371-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Vineis P., Magnani C. Occupation and bladder cancer in males: a case-control study. Int J Cancer. 1985 May 15;35(5):599–606. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910350506. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Vågerö D., Persson G. Occurrence of cancer in socioeconomic groups in Sweden. An analysis based on the Swedish Cancer Environment Registry. Scand J Soc Med. 1986;14(3):151–160. doi: 10.1177/140349488601400308. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Wiklund K., Holm L. E. Trends in cancer risks among Swedish agricultural workers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1986 Sep;77(3):657–664. doi: 10.1093/jnci/77.3.657. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wiklund K. Swedish agricultural workers. A group with a decreased risk of cancer. Cancer. 1983 Feb 1;51(3):566–568. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19830201)51:3<566::aid-cncr2820510334>3.0.co;2-d. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Williams R. R., Stegens N. L., Goldsmith J. R. Associations of cancer site and type with occupation and industry from the Third National Cancer Survey Interview. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1977 Oct;59(4):1147–1185. doi: 10.1093/jnci/59.4.1147. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. la Vecchia C., Negri E., D'Avanzo B., Franceschi S. Occupation and the risk of bladder cancer. Int J Epidemiol. 1990 Jun;19(2):264–268. doi: 10.1093/ije/19.2.264. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Occupational and Environmental Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES