Cancer incidence in a cohort of licensed pesticide applicators in Florida

This study is a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) analysis of cancer incid ence of licensed pesticide applicators in Florida, compared with that of Fl orida's general population. Through extensive data linkages, 33,658 applica tors were assembled who had 1266 incident cancers and 279,397 person-years from January 1, 1975, to December 31, 1993. Among males, prostate cancer (S IR = 1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72-2.13) and testicular cancer ( SIR = 2.48; 95% CI, 1.57-3.72) were significantly elevated. No confirmed ca ses of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) were found, and the incidence of non-Hodgk in's lymphoma was not increased. There were few female applicators; neverth eless, cervical cancer incidence (SIR = 3.69; 95% CI, 1.84-6.61) was signif icantly increased, while the incidence of breast cancer was significantly d ecreased. Cancers that have been associated with estrogen disrupters were f ound in male, but not female, pesticide applicators. The lack of soft tissu e sarcoma is at odds with prior literature associated with the use of pheno xy herbicides.