Parental occupations at birth and risk of adult testicular germ cell tumors in offspring: a French nationwide case-control study

BACKGROUND: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most frequent cancer in young men in developed countries. Parental occupational exposures during early-life periods are suspected to increase TGCT risk. The objective was to estimate the association between parental occupations at birth and adult TGCT. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted, including 454 TGCT cases aged 18-45 from 20 French university hospitals, matched to 670 controls based on region and year of birth. Data collected from participants included parental jobs at birth coded according to the International Standard Classification of Occupation-1968 and the French nomenclature of activities-1999. Odds ratios (OR) for TGCT and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for TGCT risk factors. RESULTS: Paternal jobs at birth as service workers (OR = 1.98, CI 1.18-3.30), protective service workers (OR = 2.40, CI 1.20-4.81), transport equipment operators (OR = 1.96, CI 1.14-3.37), specialized farmers (OR = 2.66, CI 1.03-6.90), and maternal jobs as secondary education teachers (OR = 2.27, CI 1.09-4.76) or in secondary education (OR = 2.35, CI 1.13-4.88) were significantly associated with adult TGCT. The risk of seminoma was increased for the above-mentioned paternal jobs and that of non-seminomas for public administration and defence; compulsory social security (OR = 1.99, CI 1.09-3.65); general, economic, and social administration (OR = 3.21, CI 1.23-8.39) for fathers; and secondary education teacher (OR = 4.67, CI 1.87-11.67) and secondary education (OR = 3.50, CI 1.36-9.01) for mothers. CONCLUSION: Some paternal jobs, such as service workers, transport equipment operators, or specialized farmers, and maternal jobs in secondary education seem to be associated with an increased risk of TGCT with specific features depending on the histological type. These data allow hypotheses to be put forward for further studies as to the involvement of occupational exposures in the risk of developing TGCT, such as exposure to pesticides, solvents, or heavy metals

Testicular germ cell tumors : assessing the impact of occupational and environmental exposure to pesticides

Les tumeurs germinales du testicule (TGCT) sont la forme de cancer la plus fréquente chez les hommes jeunes (15-39 ans). Un rôle de l'environnement au moment de la période prénatale est suspecté, mais aucune étiologie claire ne semble émerger. Cette thèse avait pour but de développer une nouvelle approche épidémiologique pour étudier l'impact des expositions prénatales aux pesticides sur le risque de TGCT. Par une revue de la littérature, nous avons tout d'abord montré le manque d'études sur les expositions prénatales et le besoin de méthodes fiables pour évaluer l'exposition environnementale aux pesticides. Ensuite, par une campagne de mesures domestiques dans 239 foyers, nous avons identifié les déterminants environnementaux de l'exposition aux pesticides agricoles. La surface des cultures dans un rayon de 500m (vergers) ou 1000m (céréales/vignes), le vent et les barrières végétales ont été identifiés comme déterminants de l'exposition. La bonne efficacité de notre lingette en cellulose a été testée en laboratoire. Nos résultats montrent également l'importance des utilisations domestiques de pesticides sur la contamination des foyers. Enfin, à travers une étude cas témoins pilote, nous avons confirmé notre capacité à recruter des sujets et leurs mères, ainsi que les informations requises pour évaluer les expositions jusque dans les années 70. Pour conclure, nos résultats ont permis le développement d'une étude cas-témoins nationale (projet TESTIS) pour étudier l'impact des expositions prénatales aux pesticides sur le risque de TGCT. Ce projet a été financé et est en cours de réalisation. Cette thèse sert également de base à plusieurs autres projets multidisciplinairesTesticular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most common cancers in men aged 15–39 years. Environmental exposures occurring in the prenatal period are suspected to play a role, but no clear associations with TGCT risk are known. This thesis aimed to develop an epidemiological approach to study the impact of prenatal exposures to pesticides on the TGCT risk. First, through a systematic literature review, we identified a gap in knowledge regarding prenatal exposures, as well as the need for more reliable assessment of environmental pesticide exposures. Second, through a survey of indoor dust sampling in 239 households, we identified the environmental determinants of agricultural pesticide exposure to develop a metric to assess environmental pesticide exposures using a geographical information system. Crop acreage within 500m (orchards) or 1000m (cereals/vineyards), wind, and vegetative barriers were identified as determinants of the indoor contamination. The overall good efficiency of our cellulose wipe was assessed through laboratory experiments. Our results also suggested domestic pesticide use as a major source of households’ pesticide exposure. Third, through a case-control pilot study we tested different approach to recruit young men and their mothers, and we confirmed our ability to collect information about their exposures, and to map precisely their addresses until the 1970’s. Our findings lead to the development of a national case-control study (TESTIS project) aiming to assess the impact of prenatal pesticides exposures on the TGCT risk. This project has been funded and is currently on-going. Our research also serves as basis for further multidisciplinary project

L'impact de l'environnement sur la grossesse et le développement : données de la littérature

National audienc

Tumeurs germinales du testicule : étudier l'impact des expositions professionnelles et environnementales aux pesticides

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most common cancers in men aged 15–39 years. Environmental exposures occurring in the prenatal period are suspected to play a role, but no clear associations with TGCT risk are known. This thesis aimed to develop an epidemiological approach to study the impact of prenatal exposures to pesticides on the TGCT risk. First, through a systematic literature review, we identified a gap in knowledge regarding prenatal exposures, as well as the need for more reliable assessment of environmental pesticide exposures. Second, through a survey of indoor dust sampling in 239 households, we identified the environmental determinants of agricultural pesticide exposure to develop a metric to assess environmental pesticide exposures using a geographical information system. Crop acreage within 500m (orchards) or 1000m (cereals/vineyards), wind, and vegetative barriers were identified as determinants of the indoor contamination. The overall good efficiency of our cellulose wipe was assessed through laboratory experiments. Our results also suggested domestic pesticide use as a major source of households’ pesticide exposure. Third, through a case-control pilot study we tested different approach to recruit young men and their mothers, and we confirmed our ability to collect information about their exposures, and to map precisely their addresses until the 1970’s. Our findings lead to the development of a national case-control study (TESTIS project) aiming to assess the impact of prenatal pesticides exposures on the TGCT risk. This project has been funded and is currently on-going. Our research also serves as basis for further multidisciplinary projectsLes tumeurs germinales du testicule (TGCT) sont la forme de cancer la plus fréquente chez les hommes jeunes (15-39 ans). Un rôle de l'environnement au moment de la période prénatale est suspecté, mais aucune étiologie claire ne semble émerger. Cette thèse avait pour but de développer une nouvelle approche épidémiologique pour étudier l'impact des expositions prénatales aux pesticides sur le risque de TGCT. Par une revue de la littérature, nous avons tout d'abord montré le manque d'études sur les expositions prénatales et le besoin de méthodes fiables pour évaluer l'exposition environnementale aux pesticides. Ensuite, par une campagne de mesures domestiques dans 239 foyers, nous avons identifié les déterminants environnementaux de l'exposition aux pesticides agricoles. La surface des cultures dans un rayon de 500m (vergers) ou 1000m (céréales/vignes), le vent et les barrières végétales ont été identifiés comme déterminants de l'exposition. La bonne efficacité de notre lingette en cellulose a été testée en laboratoire. Nos résultats montrent également l'importance des utilisations domestiques de pesticides sur la contamination des foyers. Enfin, à travers une étude cas témoins pilote, nous avons confirmé notre capacité à recruter des sujets et leurs mères, ainsi que les informations requises pour évaluer les expositions jusque dans les années 70. Pour conclure, nos résultats ont permis le développement d'une étude cas-témoins nationale (projet TESTIS) pour étudier l'impact des expositions prénatales aux pesticides sur le risque de TGCT. Ce projet a été financé et est en cours de réalisation. Cette thèse sert également de base à plusieurs autres projets multidisciplinaire

L'accompagnement de la mère et de son enfant les 1ers mois : présentation des outils pratiques à destination des sages-femmes

National audienc

Projet SIGEXPO : développement d'un indicateur géographique d'exposition aux pesticides agricoles en Rhône-Alpes

International audienc

Recommandations pour la pratique clinique - Interventions en période périnatale

International audienc

L'accompagnement de la mère et de son enfant les 1ers mois : présentation des outils pratiques à destination des sages-femmes

National audienc

Pesticides and Child's Health in France

International audiencePurpose of review - The use of pesticides is predominant in agriculture, inducing environmental contamination, and has been extended to the domestic sphere. In France, > 500 pesticides were authorized for use in 2009; given their various toxicological properties, there are legitimate concerns about the possible consequences for child health. This review summarizes the recent French studies of good quality dealing with pesticides and child health. Recent findings - Three cohorts (mother-child, retrospective) and two case-control studies have been conducted in the last decade. Using various instruments for exposure assessment including biomarkers, they have suggested alterations of subclinical health parameters at birth, increased risk of otitis at age 2, and increased risk of several types of childhood cancer. However, there were no adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 6 years of age following prenatal exposure to pesticides. Both agricultural and domestic pesticides might be involved in such adverse health outcomes. Similar studies are lacking in Europe. Studies on fungicides and child health are scarce