BRAIN CANCER MORTALITY AMONG FRENCH FARMERS - THE VINEYARD PESTICIDE HYPOTHESIS

In this study, the authors assessed the contribution of vineyard pesti cides to brain cancer mortality among agricultural workers. A pesticid e exposure index (PEI) in vineyards was calculated for 89 French geogr aphical units (departements). The authors estimated standardized morta lity ratios among male farmers and farm laborers aged 35-74 y for the years 1984-1986. Poisson regression models, which were fitted to the e cological data, included random effects. Mortality from brain cancer a mong farmers was significantly higher than mortality for the overall p opulation (standardized mortality ratio = 1.25, p <.001). Univariate a nalysis revealed a significant link with pesticide exposure in vineyar ds (relative risk = 1.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.03, 1.18), as di d multivariate analysis (relative risk = 1.11; 95% confidence interval = 1.03, 1.19). These results corraborate the evidence that pesticides in vineyards contribute to mortality from brain cancer among farmers.