Association between Residential Proximity to Viticultural Areas and Childhood Acute Leukemia Risk in Mainland France:...

Pesticide exposures are suspected of being a risk factor for several childhood cancers, particularly acute leukemia (AL). Most of the evidence is based on self-reported parental domestic use of pesticides, but some studies have also addressed associations with agricultural use of pesticides near the place of residence.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the risk of AL in children living close to vines, a crop subject to intensive pesticide use.

Data were drawn from the national registry-based GEOCAP study. We included all of the AL cases under the age of 15 years diagnosed in 2006-2013 ($$) and 40,196 contemporary controls representative of the childhood population in France. The proximity of the vines (probability of presence within 200, 500, and $$) and the viticulture density (area devoted to vines within $$) were evaluated around the geocoded addresses in a geographic information system combining three national land use maps. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for all AL and for the lymphoblastic (ALL) and myeloid (AML) subtypes. Heterogeneity between regions was studied by stratified analyses. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to take into account, in particular, geocoding uncertainty, density of other crops and potential demographic and environmental confounders.

In all, about 10% of the controls lived within $$ of vines. While no evidence of association between proximity to vines and AL was found, viticulture density was positively associated with ALL [$$ (1.00-1.09) for a 10% increase in density], with a statistically significant heterogeneity across regions. No association with AML was observed. The results remained stable in all the sensitivity analyses.

We evidenced a slight increase in the risk of ALL in children living in areas with high viticulture density. This finding supports the hypothesis that environmental exposure to pesticides may be associated with childhood ALL. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12634.