Retrospective study on cancer patients (Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer) comparing between farmers with government servants receiving care at hospital in Khon Kean province (Thai)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether occupations having pesticide exposure were associated with
increased risk of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), breast cancer and prostate cancer. We conducted a
retrospective study in patients receiving care at Srinagarin and Khon Kaen Hospitals during the year 2005;
cancer diagnosis was based on doctor’s records. Occupations were classified as farmer (n = 111,612) and
government servant (n = 41,332). Odd ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to
estimate risk of pesticide exposure. The risk of NHL and breast cancer among farmer patients were signifi-
cantly higher than those of government servants with ORs of 4.43 (95% CIs 2.66-7.37) and 1.65 (95%
CIs 1.34-2.03) respectively, but not prostrate cancer (ORs = 1.28 , 95% CIs 0.61-2.68 ). When
comparing overall cancer (NHL, breast cancer and prostrate cancer), farmer patients were associated with
higher risk of cancer by about two fold (ORs 1.95 , 95% CIs 1.63-2.34). The results suggest that the
increased risk of cancer, especially in NHL and breast cancer is associated with occupations that have higher
chance of pesticide exposure.