A study in PLOS ONE found that chronic occupational and household pesticide exposure is linked to more aggressive breast cancer among rural women in southern Brazil, including higher rates of recurrence, chemoresistance and metastasis.
The research analyzed 349 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2015 and 2023, with 208 classified as occupationally exposed. Most reported handling pesticides weekly without personal protective equipment, making skin absorption a major contamination route.
Exposed women were 32.83% more likely to have Luminal B breast cancer, an aggressive hormone receptor-positive subtype, and faced higher risks of distant metastases, lymph node invasion, recurrence and chemotherapy resistance.
The study highlighted three commonly used herbicides in the region, glyphosate, atrazine and 2,4-D, which are associated with endocrine disruption, immune system changes and mechanisms that promote tumor growth and metastasis.
Researchers, including Carolina Panis, stressed the need for stricter pesticide regulations and expanded protections for agricultural workers, especially women, noting that Brazil remains one of the top three global pesticide consumers and that increasing female participation in agriculture may amplify cancer risks.
A new study published in PLOS ONE has found that chronic occupational and household exposure to pesticides is associated with more aggressive forms of breast cancer among rural women in southern Brazil.
Read Full Article: https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-03-01-study-pesticide-exposure-more-aggressive-breast-cancer.html
