Cancer incidence among alachlor manufacturing workers

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Abstract
A historical cohort study was conducted to evaluate cancer incidence among chemical workers with occupational and environmental exposure to alachlor, the active ingredient in a family of pre‐emergent acetanilide herbicides. The study followed 943 workers with at least 1 year of cumulative employment at the Monsanto plant in Muscatine. Iowa, from startup of the alachlor manufacturing process in March 1968 through December 1990. Approximately 96% of all workers were successfully traced to determine their last known residence and cancer status. Eighteen workers were diagnosed with cancer during the follow‐up period, based on pathology information from the statewide cancer registry maintained by the State Health Registry of Iowa. The standardized incidence ratio for all cancers was 1.5 (95% CI 0.9–2.4) for all workers exposed to alachlor, which was due primarily to elevated rates for colorectal cancer and chronic myeloid leukemia. Workers with 5 or more years in estimated high alachlor exposure jobs had elevated rates of colorectal cancer (3 cases, SIR = 5.2, 95% CI 1.1–15.1). Interpretation of the study results is limited by the small size of the study population, minimal length of follow‐up, and current information concerning alachlor metabolism in primates and humans. Nonetheless, the findings suggest the need for continued evaluation of this and other alachlor‐exposed cohorts.

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