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Association between pesticide exposure and thyroid cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Xiao Yang1, Jie Yu1, Hao Yao1

  • 1School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, PR China.

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
|October 28, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Pesticide exposure, including insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, is linked to increased thyroid cancer risk. This risk is notably higher in females compared to males.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Environmental Health
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Thyroid cancer (TC) is a prevalent endocrine malignancy globally.
  • The link between pesticide exposure and TC requires systematic investigation.
  • Understanding this association is crucial for public health and risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically evaluate the relationship between exposure to various pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and thyroid cancer.
  • To analyze potential sex-based differences in the association between pesticide exposure and TC.
  • To provide a quantitative summary of the risk using meta-analysis.

Main Methods:

  • A meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize data on pesticide exposure and TC.
  • Fixed- or random-effects models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  • Analysis considered different pesticide types and stratified by sex.

Main Results:

  • A positive association was found between exposure to insecticides (OR=1.07), herbicides (OR=1.10), and fungicides (OR=1.21) and TC.
  • Overall pesticide exposure risk for TC was higher in females (OR=1.52) than males (OR=0.95).
  • Specific associations included positive links for insecticides in females and fungicides in males, and a negative link for herbicides in males.

Conclusions:

  • Pesticide exposure is identified as a significant risk factor for thyroid cancer.
  • Females appear to be at a higher risk of developing TC following pesticide exposure compared to males.
  • Further research into sex-specific mechanisms and targeted prevention strategies is warranted.
Keywords:
Endocrine disrupting chemicalsMeta-analysisPesticidesSystematic reviewThyroid cancer

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