Occupational exposure to pesticides and endometrial cancer in the Screenwide case-control study

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecological tumour in developed countries and disease burden is expected to increase over the years. Identifying modifiable risk factors may help developing strategies to reduce the expected increasing incidence of these neoplasms.

This study evaluates the association between occupational exposure to pesticides and endometrial cancer using data from a recent case-control study in Spain.

The analyses included data from 174 consecutive incident endometrial cancer cases and 216 hospital controls frequency-matched by age. Data were collected through structured epidemiological questionnaires and exposure to pesticides was assessed using a Spanish job-exposure matrix (MatEmESp).

Overall, 12% of controls and 18% of cases were occupationally exposed to pesticides. We observed a positive association between occupational exposure to pesticides and endometrial cancer (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.13-3.88 compared to non-exposed). In general, exposures that occurred farther in the past were significantly associated with endometrial cancer. Exposure to insecticides, fungicides and herbicides were positively associated with endometrial cancer (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.13-3.88, OR = 4.40; 95% CI = 1.65-13.33, and OR = 5.25; 95% CI = 1.84-17.67, respectively). The agricultural, poultry and livestock activities scenario was associated with endometrial cancer (OR = 4.16; 95% CI = 1.59-12.32), while the cleaning exposure scenario was not (OR = 1.22; 95% CI = 0.55-2.67).

Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides assessed using a Spanish job-exposure matrix revealed a positive association with endometrial cancer. The elucidation of the role of pesticide compounds on endometrial cancer should shed a light on the aetiology of this tumour.