HOME PESTICIDE USE AND CHILDHOOD CANCER: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY. Leiss, J., et al.,

American Journal of Public Health, 85:249-252 (1995) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1615305/

This study by J. Leiss et al. published in the American Journal of Public Health indicates a strong correlation between household pesticides usage with certain childhood cancers: leukemia, brain tumors, lymphomas and soft tissue sarcomas. The use of pest strips, yard treatments and home exterminations were considered during three exposure periods: the last three months of pregnancy, birth through two years of age and exposure two years prior to prognosis. In particular, yard treatments were strongly associated with soft tissue sarcomas following birth and preceding diagnosis. The most likely pesticides used in yard treatments were carbaryl, 2,4-D and Diazinon. Pest strips using the insecticide Dichlorvos showed consistent relation to leukemia and brain tumors.