The overall objective of the proposed project is to study the relationship between cancer incidence and exposure to phenoxy herbicides (2, 4-D, 2, 4, 5-T and Silvex) from environmental and occupational sources. The putative carcinogen, TCDD is occasionally found in 2, 4, 5-T and Silvex, but not in 2, 4-D. Hence, exposures to 2, 4-D and to all phenoxy herbicides per se will be separately evaluated where possible. Soft tissue sarcomas and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas will be the sites of interest. The study will be conducted within the 13 counties of western Washington State, wherein extensive usage of phenoxy herbicides for forestry management, roadside and right-of-way brush control, and public lands maintenance programs has occurred between 1950-1979, and for which concise cancer incidence data for the residential population are available. The proposed procedures entail a case-control epidemiologic study involving (1) mail survey and personal interview techniques to acquire an accurate and complete record of phenoxy herbicide use in the 13 county study area from 1950-1979, (2) the use of computer graphics techniques to display herbicide application areas on maps of the study area in terms of geographic coordinates and environmental intensities for time periods of intesest, (3) the use of a population-based tumor registry to identify cancer cases, and random sampling procedures to identify controls, and (4) face-to-face interviews of all sulbjects to acquire detailed information on exposure histories and potential confounding factors. Standard statistical procedures will be used to measure the relative extent of phenoxy herbicide exposure among cases and controls, and hence, to estimate relative risks of cancer of specific sites of interest. The proposed studies will evaluate cancer incidence in relation to residential and other sources of phenoxy herbicide exposure, and, hence, will increase the understanding of the long term health effects of these chemicals. The data to be collected in the proposed studies will comprise a historical record with respect to phenoxy exposure in the resident population, providing a basis for the continuing evaluation of cancer and other long term health effects in relation to phenoxy/TCDD exposure.
| Kulander, B G; Polissar, L; Yang, C Y et al. (1989) Grading of soft tissue sarcomas: necrosis as a determinant of survival. Mod Pathol 2:205-8 |
| Woods, J S; Polissar, L; Severson, R K et al. (1987) Soft tissue sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in relation to phenoxyherbicide and chlorinated phenol exposure in western Washington. J Natl Cancer Inst 78:899-910 |
