219924 Conventional and Anti-Microbial Pesticide Exposures and Increased Risk of Lung Cancer in Mexican Americans

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Michelle K. McHugh, PhD , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Sumesh Kachroo, PhD , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Mei Liu, MS , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Anthony M. D'Amelio Jr., BS , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Qiong Dong, MS , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Anthony Greisinger, PhD , Kelsey Research Foundation, Houston, TX
Waun Ki Hong, MD , Thoracic/Head and Neck Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Margaret R. Spitz, MD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Carol J. Etzel, PhD , Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Objective: We investigated demographic factors, smoking, environmental and occupational exposures, and medical and family cancer histories in a population of Mexican-American lung cancer cases and controls from the Houston Metropolitan area.

Methods: Data were collected from a multi-racial/ethnic, lung cancer case-control study. Cases included 212 Mexican American lung cancer cases from UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Controls (n=328) were recruited from Houston's largest multispecialty group practice and frequency matched to the cases by age (±5 years), sex and ethnicity. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression analyses. Environmental and occupational factors were analyzed individually and pesticides were analyzed as: 1) exposure to conventional or antimicrobial pesticides; 2) exposure to conventional pesticides only; and 3) exposure to antimicrobial pesticides only.

Results: We detected elevated risks of lung cancer associated with asbestos, wood dust, fibers, SVF, benzene, toluene/xylene, dry cleaning fluids, vehicle exhaust, glues and plastics; however only pesticide exposures were statistically significant. We found both conventional and anti-microbial (e.g., sterilizers, disinfectants, antiseptics) pesticide exposures were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in Mexican Americans (conventional pesticides and antimicrobial pesticides combined: OR=1.80, 95%CI 1.13-2.86; conventional pesticides: OR=2.05, 95% CI 1.23-2.39; anti-microbial pesticides: OR=2.48, 95% CI 1.46-4.21).

Conclusions: Although we found over a two-fold increased risk of lung cancer among Mexican Americans for conventional and anti-microbial pesticides, we could not identify individual pesticides. Our findings are descriptive in nature and we believe an important preliminary step in identifying factors that are specifically associated with lung cancer risk among Mexican Americans.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
Identify occupational and environmental risk factors associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in Mexican Americans.

Keywords: Cancer, Pesticide Exposure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was instrumental in the occupational coding and exposure assessment,analysis and interpretation of the data, and drafting the paper.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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