A systematic review of mechanistic studies on the relationship between pesticide exposure and cancer induction.

INTRODUCTION

Pesticides are toxic and biological substances used for mitigating harmful pests. Their application in agricultural fields and homes increased environmental pollution. Studies showed their harmful effects on human health, specifically children, who are more vulnerable than adults. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has introduced several pesticides as carcinogens. This study aims to systematically summarize and review all studies related to pesticides and cancer.

METHODOLOGY

This systematic review is based on PRISMA rules. Three central databases were employed to find studies on pesticide exposure and cancer correlation published from 2017 to September 2022.

RESULTS

After reviewing several studies, we found that most studies revealed a significant relationship between pesticide exposure and an increased cancer incidence rate. Among the most studied group of pesticides is organochlorine (OC) pesticides. OC pesticides and their residues could significantly increase cancer in children and adults. Mechanistic studies revealed that pesticides could increase the risk of different cancers by genetics, like an increased expression of some genes like p21, p53 or epigenetic impairments. Cell cycle impairments like expanding the G1 to S phase transition are another mechanism of causing cancer. DNA methylation and histone modifications increase the risk of numerous cancers.

CONCLUSION

Based on epidemiological studies, pesticides are a significant concern to human health, specifically cancer development, and should be more restrained. Their most reported mechanism of action were genetic and epigenetic impairments which cause cancers.