Pesticide exposures in children with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

BACKGROUND. The association between pesticide exposure and non-Hodgkin lymp homa (NHL) in adults has been the subject of numerous case-control and coho rt studies. However, to the authors' knowledge, data regarding pesticide ex posures in children diagnosed with NHL have been lacking. METHODS. The Children's Cancer Group conducted a study comparing 268 childr en who developed NHL or leukemia with bulk disease with a group of matched, randomly selected regional population controls. The telephone interviews o f both the case and control mothers included selected questions regarding o ccupational and home exposures to pesticides around the time of the index p regnancy and exposure of the child. RESULTS. A significant association was Pound between risk of NHL and increa sed frequency of reported pesticide use in the home (odds ratio [OR] = 7.3 for use most days; trend P = 0.05), professional exterminations within die home (OR = 3.0; P = 0.002), and postnatal exposure (OR = 2.4; P = 0.001). E levated risks were found for T-cell and B-cell lymphomas; for lymphoblastic , large cell, and Burkitt morphologies: and in both young (age < 6 years) a nd older children. There was an increased risk of NHL with occupational exp osure to pesticides (OR = 1.7) that was not significant overall, but that w as significant for Burkitt lymphoma (OR = 9.6; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. The results of the current study provide further evidence link ing pesticide exposure to the risk of NHL, but the authors were unable to i mplicate any specific agent. Cancer 2000;89:2315-21. (C) 2000 American Canc er Society.