Atrazine - A likely human carcinogen? [2]

International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health

Volumn 13, Issue 3, 2007, Pages 356-358

  Huff, James ^a   Sass, Jennifer ^b  

^a NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES   (United States)

^b NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ATRAZINE;

AGRICULTURE; CANCER RESEARCH; CANCER RISK; CHEMICAL CARCINOGENESIS; CHEMICAL INDUSTRY; CONFLICT OF INTEREST; HUMAN; LETTER; NONHUMAN; POLITICS; PRIORITY JOURNAL; RISK ASSESSMENT;

EID: 34748866826     PISSN: 10773525     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Letter

References (22)

1. Fan W, Yanase T, Morinaga H, Gondo S, Okabe T, Nomura M, Hayes TB, Takayanagi R, Nawata H. Herbicide atrazine activates SF-I by direct affinity and concomitant co-activators recruitments to induce aromatase expression via promoter II. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007;355:1012-8.
2. Brodkin MA, Madhoun H, Rameswaran M, Vatnick I. Atrazine is an immune disrupter in adult northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). Environ Toxicol Chem. 2007;26:80-4.
3. Hayes TB, Stuart AA, Mendoza M, et al. Characterization of atrazine-induced gonadal malformations in African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) and comparisons with effects of an androgen antagonist (cyproterone acetate) and exogenous estrogen (17beta-estradiol): Support for the demasculinization/feminization hypothesis. Environ Health Perspect. 2006;114 suppl 1:134-41.
4. IARC. Atrazine. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 1991;53:441-66.
5. IARC. Atrazine. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 1999;73:59-113.
6. Huff J. IARC monographs, industry influence, and upgrading, downgrading, and under-grading chemicals: a personal point of view. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2002;8:249-70.
7. NTP. Intoduction. In: NTP 11th Report on Carcinogens. National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, NC, 2004.
8. IARC. Preamble. In: Formaldehyde, 2-butoxyethanol and 1-tert-butoxypropan-2-ol. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 2006;88:1-478; preamble 9-31.
9. In IARCs 1999 review of atrazine, a classification of "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (group 2B) was warranted, in our opinion. This would have been consistent with the IARC criteria described in the preamble for agents for which there is "inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity" in humans and "sufficient evidence" in experimental animals. However, IARC chose the weaker, less protective classification of "not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans" (group 3), citing "strong evidence that the mechanism by which atrazine increases the incidence of mammary gland tumours in Sprague-Dawley rats is not relevant to humans." This questionable classification in the face of incomplete mechanistic data was criticized by a former IARC Director and Chief of the Monograph Programme, who warned that: "If tests show those hypotheses to be incorrect, or if they do not account adequately for the wide range of susceptibility in humans, serious consequences for public health may follow." (Tomatis L. The IARC monographs program: changing attitudes towards public health. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2002;8:144-52.)
10. Documented in Sass JB, Colangelo A. European Union bans atrazine, while the United States negotiates continued use. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2006;12:260-7.
11. EPA FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Report. Atrazine: Hazard and Dose-Response Assessment and Characterization. June 27-20, 2000. SAP Report No. 2000-05. 〈http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/mee tings/ 2000/index. htm#062700〉. Accessed 4/3/2007.
12. EPA FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel meeting: Characterization of Epidemiology Data Relating to Prostate Cancer and Exposure to Atrazine (EPA Dockets-OPP-2003-0186). Transmittal of Meeting Minutes of the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Meeting Held July 17, 2003. Issued August 29, 2003. 〈http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/meetings/2003/index.htm〉. Accessed 4/3/2007.
13. Haseman J, Melnick R, Tomatis L, Huff J. Carcinogenesis bioassays: study duration and biological relevance. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001;39:739-44.
14. Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Minardi F, Maltoni C. Ramazzini Foundation cancer program: history and major projects, life-span carcinogenicity bioassay design, chemicals studied, and results. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2002;982:26-45.
15. Huff J. Carcinogenicity of bisphenol-A in Fischer rats and B6C3F1 mice. Odontology. 2001;89:12-20.
16. Huff J. Chemicals studied and evaluated in long-term carcinogenesis bioassays by both the Ramazzini Foundation and the National Toxicology Program. In: Tribute to Cesare Maltoni and David Rall. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2002;982:208-30.
17. Birnbaum LS, Fenton SE. Cancer and developmental exposure to endocrine disruptors. Environ Health Perspect. 2003;111:389-94.
18. Information Quality Act Request for Correction of Information: Atrazine. Jim J. Tozzi, CRE Board of Advisors. The petition was filed on behalf of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, the Missouri Corn Growers Association, the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, and the California Citrus Mutual. July 16, 2004. 〈http://aspe.hhs.gov/infoquality/request&response/18a. shtml〉. Accessed 4/3/2007.
19. The exchange of written correspondences between the petitioners and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is posted on the DHHS website 〈http://aspe.hhs.gov/infoquality/requests.shtml〉.
20. Reviewed briefly in: Sass JB, Colangelo A. European Union bans atrazine, while the United States negotiates continued use. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2006;12:260-7.
21. "Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2006 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs around 19,500 people in over 90 countries." 〈www.syngenta.com/en/index. aspx〉. Accessed 4/3/2007.
22. Huff J. Industry influence on occupational and environmental public health. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2007; 13:107-17.