Chronic Exposure To This May Increase Risk Of Early-Onset Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer rates are climbing, especially among adults under 50. The usual lifestyle factors like diet, lack of exercise and family history get most of the attention when it comes to prevention.

Researchers examined compared epigenetic data from tumor tissue in patients with early (under 50) and late (70 and older) onset colorectal cancer. They wanted to see the association between shifts in DNA markers in people with colorectal cancer to the amount of pesticide exposure these people may be exposed to.

The goal was to determine if pesticide exposure is linked to getting colorectal cancer at a younger age, and whether certain chemicals showed stronger associations with disease risk.

Researchers found a significant association between picloram, an herbicide, and increased risk of early onset colorectal cancer. Patients whose tumors showed DNA signatures consistent with higher picloram exposure were more likely to have early-onset colorectal cancer.

To test the tumor-tissue findings, the researchers pulled 21 years of county-level pesticide use data and matched it against early-onset colorectal cancer rates in adults aged 25 to 49, across 94 U.S. counties.

Out of 225 pesticides analyzed, 27 remained linked to higher EOCRC rates even after accounting for socioeconomic factors like income, education, and employment. But picloram was the only one that held up consistently after controlling for the other chemicals being used on the same land, meaning counties with heavier picloram use had measurably higher rates of colorectal cancer in younger adults, and that pattern couldn't be explained away by other pesticides or economic differences.

It's impossible to eliminate pesticide exposure entirely, but you can take steps to minimize it.

Picloram is not a major food residue concern in the way some other pesticides are, according to the EPA. Picrolam is mostly found in grain products, like straw, barley, oat and wheat. Farm animals eat these grains, so meat and dairy products are often also contaminated.

The EPA does not consider the amount of picloram in these products to be harmful, but if you want to prioritize safer food look for organic options for both plant and animal-based products. If you want to get meat and dairy products without pesticides, look for products that are USDA Certified Organic, 100% Grass-Fed, or from smaller, local farms.

The EPA also notes that picrolam is highly water soluble, meaning it can easily into the soil and get into drinking water via agricultural runoff. To reduce exposure to pesticides in drinking water, we recommend investing in a quality water filter. This is especially important in agricultural areas, where runoff may be more prevalent.