Organochlorines and Risk of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

This pilot study examined the relationships of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with prostate cancer. Ninety-nine controls were frequency matched by age in 5-year increments to 58 prostate cancer patients. Thirty PCBs and 18 OCPs were measured in serum by gas chromatography. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the magnitude of association. Seven organochlorines, dieldrin, p,pЈ-DDE, trans-nonachlor, oxychlordane, heptachlor epoxide, and PCBs 153 and 180 were detected in at least 20% of all study participants. Adjusting for age, body mass index, and a history of prostatitis, oxychlordane and PCB 180 were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. This study suggests that long-term, low-dose exposure to specific OCPs and PCBs in the general population may contribute to an increased risk of prostate cancer and supports further investigation in this area. (J Occup Environ Med. 2003;45: 692-702)

Endocrine disruptors and prostate cancer risk

“…A more extensive epidemiologic study of capacitor manufacturing plant workers highly exposed to PCBs revealed a strong exposure-response relationship for prostate cancer mortality (Prince et al 2006). This supports previous findings of correlations between PCB 153 and 180 and prostate cancer risk in electric utility workers (Charles et al 2003, Ritchie et al 2003. While estrogenic activity of these compounds is a suspected mode of action, there is also evidence that PCBs inhibit estrogen sulfotransferase activity in the liver and effectively increase bioavailable estrogen in the body (Kester et al 2000).…”

Increased cancer burden among pesticide applicators and others due to pesticide exposure

“…Nonoccupational exposure to OC insecticides was investigated in 4 case-control studies by measuring the concentrations of selected OC insecticides in serum, 41 adipose tissue, 39 or plasma. 40 In summary, a number of specific pesticides have been linked to prostate cancer risk in occupational settings in an increasing number of studies.…”

Prostate cancer as an environmental disease: An ecological study in the French Caribbean islands, Martinique and Guadeloupe

“…Moreover, the increased prostate cancer risk associated with many of the afore-mentioned pesticides has been observed mostly in subjects with a family history of prostate cancer (41), a finding which suggests that exposure to pesticides in genetically susceptible subjects increases the risk of prostate cancer. Although our data suggest that several pesticide types, including DDT and HCH, may have been implicated in the genesis of prostate cancer in Martinique and Guadeloupe, we cannot exclude that other CMR substances, including other types of pesticides, polychlorobiphenyls (40,44) and polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons (45) may also have been involved.…”

“…Subjects then showed similar considerably high levels (up to several mg/kg), as in other studies (39). Other authors have reported that exposure to organochlorinated pesticides is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (40,41) and that among the different pesticides used intensively in Martinique and Guadeloupe, DDT and DDE (42,41), lindane (43), aldrin and dieldrin (41), chlordane (41), heptachlor (41,43), oxychlordane (40,44) and simazine (43) have been found to be associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer and/or have been detected at significantly higher levels in prostate cancer patients than in non-cancer patients. Moreover, the increased prostate cancer risk associated with many of the afore-mentioned pesticides has been observed mostly in subjects with a family history of prostate cancer (41), a finding which suggests that exposure to pesticides in genetically susceptible subjects increases the risk of prostate cancer.…”