Abstract
Pervious studies suggested occupational workers exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) might contribute to increased risk of cancer. However, few studies have focused on associations between PCP and cancer risk at the community level. The present study was to explore the cancer risk for the community population living long-term in a PCP contaminated area. All the cancer cases diagnosed in 2009- 2011 in Tongling City were collected. The cancer patients' residencies were geo-referenced in each district. The historical PCP usage for each district of Tongling was calculated as the PCP pollution index, which was further used to divide into PCP exposure categories. Standardized rate ratios (SRRs) of cancer incidence were applied to detect the cancer risk as exposure grade elevated. Correlation analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between PCP pollution and cancer incidence. A total of 5,288 cancer cases (3,451 male and 1,837 female) were identified. PCP usage was correlated with the incidence of leukemia (r=0.88, P=0.002) for males, and with cancer of the esophagus for males (r=0.83, P=0.008) and females (r=0.71, P=0.020). Compared with the low exposure category, significant SRRs for total cancer sites was obtained for high PCP exposure category (SRR=1.61, 95%CI=1.59-1.62). Most SRR values of the cancer sites were significantly increased as exposure grade elevated and exposure time extended. The present study found that community residents living in the PCP contaminated area had increased risk of cancers. Leukemias, lymphomas and nasopharyngeal and esophageal cancers are most possibly associated with PCP exposure.
Highlights
Pentachlorophenol(PCP) has been widely used as wood preservative, herbicide and insecticide in western countries since 1940s; and it has been used for killing oncomelania in some areas of China where schistosomiasis is epidemic (Zheng et al, 2011)
Different with the results of previous similar studies of occupational workers exposing to PCP, the present study detected significant cancer risk for community population long term exposed to PCP
By dividing exposure categories, we had found that the people lived in PCP pollution area had excess risk of occurring cancers
Summary
Pentachlorophenol(PCP) has been widely used as wood preservative, herbicide and insecticide in western countries since 1940s; and it has been used for killing oncomelania in some areas of China where schistosomiasis is epidemic (Zheng et al, 2011). PCP has been used since 1936, its effect on cancer has been studied in several countries after 1970s. Pervious studies suggested occupational workers exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) might contribute to increased risk of cancer. Few studies have focused on associations between PCP and cancer risk at the community level. Objective: The present study was to explore the cancer risk for the community population living long-term in a PCP contaminated area. PCP usage was correlated with the incidence of leukemia (r=0.88, P=0.002) for males, and with cancer of the esophagus for males (r=0.83, P=0.008) and females (r=0.71, P=0.020). Conclusion: The present study found that community residents living in the PCP contaminated area had increased risk of cancers. Lymphomas and nasopharyngeal and esophageal cancers are most possibly associated with PCP exposure
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