Healthier farmers than the rest of the population, but specific risks associated with pesticides



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Farmers generally suffer less from cancer than the rest of the population, but some cancers could be linked to pesticide use, according to a large epidemiological study consulted by the AFP on Friday.

The Agrican survey, which covers more than 180,000 members of the Agricultural Social Mutuality (MSA) since 2005, is presented as “the largest study in the world on cancer in agricultural work“.

First observation: “All causes combined, the men and women in the cohort have a 25% lower mortality rate than the general population“Of the departments they come from, according to the”bulletin n ° 3Of the study conducted in particular by Inserm, communicated at the end of November to the participants in this cohort.

The researchers underline that the health status of the cohort members “,overall better than that of the general population of the departments concerned, it is explained on the one hand by a considerably lower amount of smoking than in the general population (…) and, on the other, by a phenomenon described by epidemiologists with the term “ healthy worker effect ”“.

Compared to the rest of the population, farmers have an increased risk of suicide (+ 14% for men and + 46% for women) “,this risk was double among the self-employedThose are the heads of agricultural operations. As for cancers, they are less frequent in men (-7%) and women (-5%) of the Agrican cohort than in the general population.

Of the 43 tumors studied, six were found most frequently among cohort members and 14 less frequently. “Our findings suggest a possible link between pesticide exposure and prostate cancer, a hypothesis consistent with the results of many other studies.», Warns the studio. Hence, the arborists “performing anti-parasite treatments or harvesting over 25 hectares doubled the risk of prostate cancer“.

The risk was increased by 20% in people using insecticides on cattle and by 10% in pig farmers. Furthermore, the members of the cohort “are most affected by all lymphomas (+ 9% in men and + 7% in women), and in particular by a particular type (lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas, approximately + 50%) and by multiple myelomas (+ 20% of)“.

There is thus an increase in risks among farmers who use pesticides or among farmers who disinfect their buildings.

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