8290613 Risk of incident hematopoietic cancer in Danish male agricultural workers, 1968–2016

<h3>Objective</h3> Agricultural work may involve exposure to various agents that potentially may contribute to hematopoietic cancers, including pesticides and viruses. Exposure levels may vary among different groups of workers and over calendar periods. However, epidemiologic studies examining different types of agricultural sectors across historical periods are lacking. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> The Danish Cancer Registry was used to identify men born 1946+ with specific hematopoietic cancers (Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, lymphatic leukemia, and myeloid leukemia). A total of 9,021 cases were included, and 451,050 (1:50) controls were individually matched by year of birth and free of cancer at the time of diagnosis of the corresponding case. Cases and controls were born in Denmark and have an employment history (1964+), obtained from the Supplementary Pension Fund register with compulsory membership. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusted for physical activity and socioeconomic status. <h3>Results</h3> Ever employment in agriculture was associated with an increased OR of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (OR=1.39, CI: 1.15-1.68) and myeloid leukemia (OR=1.42, CI: 1.16-1.74). The highest OR for Hodgkin’s lymphoma was observed for employment before 1975 (OR=1.68, CI: 0.91-3.11). When focusing on ever employment in different sub-groups, noteworthy increased risk estimates were observed for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and ‘unspecified agriculture’ (OR=1.90, CI: 1.39-2.60) and ‘livestock’ (OR=1.51, CI: 1.12-2.05); non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and ‘horticulture’ (OR=1.33, CI: 1.01-1.74); and myeloid leukemia and ‘agricultural services’ (OR=1.87, CI: 1.17-2.98). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Our results show elevated risk of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and myeloid leukemia among men employed in agriculture. Additionally, certain agricultural sectors and periods of employment were associated with a higher risk of specific hematopoietic cancers. Future studies should differentiate between agricultural sectors and periods and include detailed exposure data to improve understanding of the disease patterns among agricultural workers.