Cancer Research UK disputes farm cancer report claim

A leading cancer charity has criticised a study that concluded farm women are three times more likely to develop breast cancer.

The study, which involved researchers from Stirling University, found that women who had worked in farming – or who had lived less than a mile from a farm – were nearly three times more likely to develop breast cancer than people who had never lived near a farm.

Researchers gathered the personal, medical and occupational histories of 1100 Canadian women, including 564 who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, with the aim of identifying jobs that might be linked to an increased breast cancer risk.

“The evidence suggests a link between increased breast cancer risk and certain occupational settings,” said Andrew Watterson of Stirling University’s occupational and environmental health research group.

“Agents present in agricultural settings may make a woman more susceptible to breast cancer, especially if she is exposed to these agents early in her life, and subsequent exposures in other settings may further compound the risk and promote disease development.”

Findings disputed

But cancer charities have disputed the findings. Henry Scowcroft of Cancer Research UK said: “Breast cancer is on the rise in western society, but all the available scientific evidence shows that this increase is largely down to changes in lifestyle.”

Such changes included having fewer children later, a decrease in breastfeeding, lack of exercise and higher-calorie diets, he said.

“Scientists have also looked at whether environmental toxins might also contribute to the increase in breast cancer, but have found no conclusive link.”

Mr Scowcroft added: “This study only looked at a relatively small number of women. This is too small a group to be able to draw any firm conclusions about a possible link between occupation and breast cancer risk.”

The Lifetime Occupational Histories Record project was conducted by the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers.

Findings were published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Prof Watterson said further research was needed to pinpoint the agents women had been exposed to that may explain the increased incidence of breast cancer.

A broader study had now been initiated, funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.