A recent study published in Cancer has identified 22 pesticides associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer in the United States, with four of these pesticides also linked to higher mortality rates from the disease.
Researchers used county-level data across the U.S. to investigate the connections between pesticide exposure and prostate cancer over time.
To capture the slow progression of most prostate cancers, the study used a “lag period” of 10–18 years between pesticide exposure and the onset of prostate cancer.
Researchers analyzed pesticide use from 1997–2001 and then tracked prostate cancer cases from 2011–2015. They repeated this method, comparing pesticide use from 2002–2006 with cancer data from 2016–2020.
Among the 22 pesticides associated with prostate cancer incidence, three had previously been linked to the disease, including 2,4D, a widely used herbicide.
The remaining 19 pesticides—10 herbicides, along with several fungicides, insecticides, and a soil fumigant—had not been previously associated with prostate cancer.
The study highlighted four specific pesticides that were linked to both prostate cancer incidence and mortality: three herbicides (trifluralin, cloransulam-methyl, and diflufenzopyr) and one insecticide (thiamethoxam).
Notably, only trifluralin is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a “possible human carcinogen,” while the other three are considered unlikely to be carcinogenic.
Lead researcher Dr. Simon John Christoph Soerensen from Stanford University School of Medicine emphasized the importance of studying environmental factors, such as pesticide exposure, to better understand geographic differences in prostate cancer rates.
He noted that by examining these links, researchers may identify specific risk factors, ultimately helping to reduce prostate cancer incidence and mortality.
This study marks an important step in understanding how long-term exposure to certain pesticides may impact prostate cancer risk, adding valuable insights for future public health efforts.
If you care about prostate cancer, please read studies about 5 types of bacteria linked to aggressive prostate cancer, and new strategy to treat advanced prostate cancer.
For more information about prostate cancer, please see recent studies about new way to lower risk of prostate cancer spread, and results showing three-drug combo boosts survival in metastatic prostate cancer.
The research findings can be found in Cancer.
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