Study: Pesticides Used In India Pose Higher Cancer Risk Than Smoking

A recent US study reveals that exposure to certain pesticides, including four widely used in India, presents a higher cancer risk than smoking. The research highlights significant health risks for farmers, particularly concerning non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, and bladder cancer.

The study analyzed 69 pesticides, focusing on 2,4-D, Acephate, Metolachlor, and Methomyl, commonly used in Indian agriculture. Findings show that pesticide exposure increases cancer risk more than smoking, a well-known risk factor.

“We present a list of major pesticide contributors for some specific cancers but we highlight strongly that it is the combination of all of them and not just a single one that matters,” stated Isain Zapata, an associate professor at Rocky Vista University, US.

Published in the journal ‘Frontiers in Cancer Control and Society’, the research used cancer data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from 2015-2019. The study found that cancer risks vary by region and crop types. For example, the western US, known for vegetable and fruit production, showed higher risks for several cancers.

This comprehensive analysis is the first to compare pesticide use directly with smoking as a cancer risk factor. Researchers emphasized that real-world exposure involves multiple pesticides simultaneously.

“In the real world, it is not likely that people are exposed to a single pesticide, but more to a cocktail of pesticides within their region,” Zapata explained.

Detailed information about the 69 pesticides can be found through the United States Geological Survey (USGS).