TY - JOUR T1 - Lymphoma risk and occupational exposure to pesticides: results of the Epilymph study JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine JO - Occup Environ Med SP - 91 LP - 98 DO - 10.1136/oemed-2012-100845 VL - 70 IS - 2 AU - Pierluigi Cocco AU - Giannina Satta AU - Stefania Dubois AU - Claudia Pili AU - Michela Pilleri AU - Mariagrazia Zucca AU - Andrea Martine ‘t Mannetje AU - Nikolaus Becker AU - Yolanda Benavente AU - Silvia de Sanjosé AU - Lenka Foretova AU - Anthony Staines AU - Marc Maynadié AU - Alexandra Nieters AU - Paul Brennan AU - Lucia Miligi AU - Maria Grazia Ennas AU - Paolo Boffetta Y1 - 2013/02/01 UR - http://oem.bmj.com/content/70/2/91.abstract N2 - Objectives We investigated the role of occupational exposure to specific groups of agrochemicals in the aetiology of lymphoma overall, B cell lymphoma and its most prevalent subtypes. Methods In 1998–2003, 2348 incident lymphoma cases and 2462 controls were recruited to the EPILYMPH case-control study in six European countries. A detailed occupational history was collected in cases and controls. Job modules were applied for farm work including specific questions on type of crop, farm size, pests being treated, type and schedule of pesticide use. In each study centre, industrial hygienists and occupational experts assessed exposure to specific groups of pesticides and individual compounds with the aid of agronomists. We calculated the OR and its 95% CI associated with lymphoma and the most prevalent lymphoma subtypes with unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, education and centre. Results Risk of lymphoma overall, and B cell lymphoma was not elevated, and risk of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) was elevated amongst those ever exposed to inorganic (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.5) and organic pesticides (OR=1.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.1). CLL risk was highest amongst those ever exposed to organophosphates (OR=2.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.0). Restricting the analysis to subjects most likely exposed, no association was observed between pesticide use and risk of B cell lymphoma. Conclusions Our results provide limited support to the hypothesis of an increase in risk of specific lymphoma subtypes associated with exposure to pesticides. ER -