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Cancer incidence and mortality in women occupationally exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides, chlorophenols, and dioxins

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The association between exposure to chlorophenoxy herbicides contaminated with dioxins and occurrence of cancer has been studied mainly in male populations. In animal experiments, gender differences have been recorded in the cancer response to administered 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Mortality and cancer incidence in an international cohort of 701 women from an International Register of Workers occupationally exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides, chlorophenols, and dioxins is examined. Cause-specific, national death rates and cancer incidence rates were used as referents. Cancer risk was not increased overall, with a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 96 and 95 percent confidence interval (CI) of 64–137, based on 29 cases. Among workers exposed to those chlorophenoxy herbicides contaminated with TCDD, excess cancer incidence (for all sites) was observed (SIR=222, CI=102–422, 9 cases); this was highest in the first 10 years after exposure. No excess was observed for breast cancer, the most common cancer in this cohort. Results on cancer mortality were consistent with those on incidence.

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Drs Kogevinas and Saracci, and Ms Winkelmann are with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. Dr Johnson is with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park NC, USA. Dr Bertazzi is with the University of Milan, Italy. Dr Bueno de Mesquita is with the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Dr Kauppinen is with the Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. Dr Littorin is with the Lund University, Sweden. Dr Lynge is with the Danish Cancer Registry, Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr Neuberger is with the Institute of Environmental Hygiene, University of Vienna, Austria. Dr Pearce is with the Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington, New Zealand. Address correspondence to Dr Kogevinas, Unit of Analytical Epidemiology, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert-Thomas, 69372 Lyon cedex 08, France. Supported by grant No. 1-ES-95276 of the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

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Kogevinas, M., Saracci, R., Winkelmann, R. et al. Cancer incidence and mortality in women occupationally exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides, chlorophenols, and dioxins. Cancer Causes Control 4, 547–553 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00052430

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