Phenoxy herbicides, soft-tissue sarcoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a systematic review of evidence from cohort and case-control studies.

Background: Phenoxy herbicides have been used widely in agriculture, forestry, parks and domestic gardens. Early studies linked them with soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but when last reviewed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1986, the evidence for human carcinogenicity was limited.

Sources Of Data: We searched Medline and Embase, looking for cohort or case-control studies that provided data on risk of STS and/or NHL in relation to phenoxy herbicides, and checked the reference lists of relevant publications for papers that had been missed.

Areas Of Agreement, Areas Of Controversy: The extensive evidence is not entirely consistent, and a hazard of STS or NHL cannot firmly be ruled out. However, if there is a hazard, then absolute risks must be small.

Growing Points, Areas Timely For Developing Research: Extended follow-up of previously assembled cohorts may be the most efficient way of further reducing uncertainties.