Farmers risk different types of cancer depending on their sector of activity according to the results presented Tuesday from the Agrican survey on health in agriculture during a conference organized by ANSES (National Health Security Agency). The investigation should continue and determine whether the pesticides used are responsible for these cases of cancers.
The risk of lung cancer is twice as high among farmers specializing in growing feed peas, as well as in pruning fruit trees or growing vegetables, explained researcher Pierre Lebailly, coordinator of the Agrican study. Even more surprisingly, ranchers of cattle or horses for more than 20 years have a reduced risk of lung cancer.
Concerning Prostate cancer, it is the cattle breeders and farmers specializing in sunflowers, tobacco, fruits and potatoes who are the most exposed.
The higher risk for cattle farmers could be explained by the use of insecticides for animals, according to Pierre Lebailly.
Even if these results may seem worrying, the first results of the Agrican survey revealed in 2011 showed that, overall, farmers had a longer life expectancy than the rest of the population.
