Hepatic angiosarcoma among Egyptian farmers exposed to pesticides

A greatly increased incidence of hepatic angiosarcoma (H.A.S.) among Egyptian farmers involved in pest-control spraying operations attracted our attention. Fourteen patients were diagnosed at Ain Shams University Hospital between the years 1980-1984 as having H.A.S. Eleven were males and 3 females with an average age of 49 years, and a male:female ratio of 3.8:1. Eleven patients reside in Lower Egypt and 3 in Upper Egypt. Ten out of the 14 patients had a definite history of a direct chronic recurrent exposure to agricultural pesticides of variable chemical nature, throughout the year. The period of exposure ranged from 11-20 years with an average of 14 years. The other 4 patients had no history of exposure to any of the known carcinogenic factors. This significant increase in angiosarcoma among farmers involved in pesticide spraying suggests that agricultural pesticides might play a role in the genesis of H.A.S. in Egypt.