Abstract
The relationship between family pesticide use and childhood brain cancer was examined in a case-control study. Telephone interviews were conducted from June 1989 through March 1990 with the natural mothers of 45 childhood brain cancer cases, 85 friend controls, and 108 cancer controls. In comparisons to friend controls, significant positive associations were observed for use of pesticides to control nuisance pests in the home, no-pest-strips in the home, pesticides to control termites, Kwell® shampoo, flea collars on pets, diazinon in the garden or orchard, and herbicides to control weeds in the yard. In comparisons to cancer controls, significant positive associations were observed for use of pesticide bombs in the home, pesticides to control termites, flea collars on pets, insecticides in the garden or orchard, carbaryl in the garden or orchard, and herbicides to control weeds in the yard. In general, positive associations in comparisons to one control group were supported by elevated odds ratios in comparisons to the other control group. Several potentially important associations were identified in this study. However, small sample sizes, potential recall bias, multiple comparisons, and lack of detailed exposure verification require further research to confirm these findings.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Alderson M (1980) The epidemiology of leukemia. Adv Cancer Res 31:1–77
Andrianova MM, Alekseev IV (1970) On the carcinogenic properties of the pesticides Sevin®, Manev®, Ciram® and Cineb®. Vopr Pitan 29:71–74
Brownson RC, Davis JR, Chang JC, DiLorenzo TM, Keefe TJ, Bagby JR Jr. (1989) A study of the accuracy of cancer risk factor information reported to a central registry compared with that obtained by interview. Am J Epidemiol 129(3):616–624
Copeland KT, Checkoway H, McMichael AJ (1977) Bias due to misclassification in the estimation of relative risk. Am J Epidemiol 105:488–495
Davis JR (1991) Childhood cancer and pesticide use in the home, garden, and yard. University of California, Berkeley, PhD dissertation, 161 pp
Deutsch-Wenzel RP, Brune H, Grimmer G, Misfeld J (1985) Local application to mouse skin as a carcinogen specific test system for non-volatile nitroso compounds. Cancer Lett 29(1):85–92
Dieter MP, Jameson CW, French JE, et al. (1989) Development and validation of a cellular transplant model for leukemia in Fischer rats: A short-term assay for potential anti-leukemic chemicals. Leuk Res 13(9):841–849
Engelman L (1988) Stepwise logistic regression. In: Dixon WJ, (ed) BMDP statistical software, Vol II. University of California Press, Berkeley, pp 941–968
Environmental Protection Agency (1985a) Lindane. Pesticide fact sheet. Office of Pesticide Programs. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
— (1985b) Carbaryl: Pesticide fact sheet. Office of Pesticide Programs, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC
— (1987) Dichlorvos: Pesticide fact sheet. Office of Pesticide Programs, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
— (1989) Pesticides industry sales and usage, 1988 market estimates. Economic Analysis Branch, Biological and Economic Analysis Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Gold E, Gordis L, Tonascia J, Szklo M (1979) Risk factors for brain tumors in children. Am J Epidemiol 109(3):309–319
Howe GR, Burch JD, Chiarelli AM, Risch HA, Choi BCK (1989) An exploratory case-control study of brain tumors in children. Cancer Res 49:4349–4352
International Agency for Research on Cancer (1976) Carbaryl. In: Some carbamates, fhiocarbamates, and carbazides. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk of chemicals to man 12:282. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
— (1979) Hexachlorocyclohexame (Technical HCH and Lindane). IARC monographs of the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, Vol 20, pp 195–239
Larson E (1980) The epidemiology of primary brain tumors. J Neurosurg Nursing 12(3):121–127
Lin SY, Lee TC, Cheng CS, Wang TC (1988) Cytotoxicity, sisterchromatid exchange, chromosome aberration and transformation induced by 2,2-dichlorovinyl-O,O-dimethyl phosphate. Mutat Res 206:439–445
Lowengart RA, Peters JM, Cicioni C, et al. (1987) Childhood leukemia and parents' occupational and home exposures. J Natl Cancer Institute 79(1):39–46
Mantel N, Haenszel W (1959) Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of disease. J Natl Cancer Institute 22:719–748
Mantel N (1963) Chi-square tests with one degree of freedom, extensions of the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. J Am Stat Assoc 58:690–700
Mount ME, Oehme FW (1981) Carbaryl. A literature review. Residue Rev 80:1–64
National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (1988) Chlordane, a pesticide review, health and environmental effects and alternatives. National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, Washington, DC
Preston-Martin S, Yu MC, Benton B, Henderson BE (1982)N-nitroso compounds and childhood brain tumors: A case-control study. Cancer Res 42:5240–5245
Reuber MD (1981) Carcinogenicity of dichlorvos. Clin Toxicol 18(1):47–84
Rothman KJ, Boice JD (1982) Epidemiologic analysis with a programmable calculator. USDHEW Pub. No. (NIH) 82-1649. US Gov Printing Office, Washington, DC
Schrötter C, Parzefall W, Schrötter H, Schulte-Hermann R (1987) Dose-response studies on the effects of alpha-, beta-, and gammahexachlorocyclohexane on putative preneoplastic foci, monooxygenases, and growth in rat liver. Cancer Res 47(1):80–88
Schwartzbaum JA, George SL, Pratt CB (unpublished) Childhood cancer: An exploratory analysis of environmental and medical factors. University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN 38163
Sinks TH Jr. (1985)N-nitroso compounds, pesticides, and parental exposures in the workplace as risk factors for childhood brain cancer: A case-control study. Dissertation Abstr Int 46(6):1888-B
Triolo AJ, Lang WR, Coon JM, Lindstrom D, Herr DL (1982) Effect of the insecticides toxaphene and carbaryl on the induction of lung tumors by benzo[a]pyrene in the mouse. J Toxicol Environ Health 9(4):637–649
Wolff GL, Morrissey RL (1986) Increased responsiveness of lean pseudoagouti AVY/A female mice to lindane enhancement of lung and liver tumorigenesis. In: Magee PN (ed) Proc Annual Meeting Am Assoc Cancer Res, Los Angeles, CA, Vol 27, p 138
World Health Organization (1976) International classification of diseases for oncology. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
— (1986) Principals for evaluating health risks from chemicals during infancy and early childhood: The need for a special approach. Environment and Health Criteria 59. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Davis, J.R., Brownson, R.C., Garcia, R. et al. Family pesticide use and childhood brain cancer. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 24, 87–92 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061094
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01061094