PESTICIDES AND CANCER

Epidemiologic evidence on the relationship between chemical pesticides and cancer is reviewed, In animal studies, many pesticides are carcin ogenic, (e.g., organochlorines, creosote, and sulfallate) while others (notably, the organochlorines DDT, chlordane, and lindane) are tumor promoters, Some contaminants in commercial pesticide formulations also may pose a carcinogenic risk, In humans, arsenic compounds and insect icides used occupationally have been classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Human data, however, are limited by the small number of studies that evaluate individual pestic ides. Epidemiologic studies, although sometimes contradictory, have li nked phenoxy acid herbicides or contaminants in them with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and malignant lymphoma; organochlorine insecticides are linked with STS, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), leukemia, and, less con sistently, with cancers of the lung and breast; organophosphorous comp ounds are linked with NHL and leukemia; and triazine herbicides with o varian cancer. Few, if any, of these associations can be considered es tablished and causal, Hence, further epidemiologic studies are needed with detailed exposure assessment for individual pesticides, taking in to consideration work practices, use of protective equipment, and othe r measures to reduce risk.