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Pesticide Exposure May Relate to Colorectal Cancer in Younger Adults
Early onset colorectal cancer describes a diagnosis of colorectal cancer in adults under 50. Previously considered a disease of older age, colorectal cancer is rising globally at an alarming rate in younger adults, with a 1.4% annual increase in incidence reported.
Evidence suggests that in many areas colorectal cancer is increasing in younger adults faster than older adults, and roughly 1 in 5 diagnoses occurs in someone under the age of 55. Research also highlights that colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death among males and females under age 50.
While the incidence of early onset colorectal cancer rises, the drivers of this trend remain poorly understood. Previous research has suggested the potential role of the exposome. This term refers to all the exposures a person experiences throughout their life and how those exposures affect their health.
Now, a new study published in Nature Medicine, suggests that epigenetic changes, or ‘molecular footprints’, associated with dietary patterns, smoking, and pesticide exposure may help explain the rising incidence of early onset colorectal cancer.
EPA Adds More Pesticide Industry Reps to Science Board
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin appointed four chemical industry representatives to the agency’s Science Advisory Board last week, including employees of pesticide companies and of a leading manufacturer of the forever chemicals that now contaminate U.S. farm soils, waterways, and food.
Members of the Science Advisory Board provide scientific advice to EPA leadership. For example, at a fall 2024 meeting, they shared feedback on an EPA draft toxicological review of arsenic and commented on the agency’s proposed approach to evaluating risks of exposure to multiple chemicals at once.
One of the new appointees, Jessica LaRocca, works for pesticide giant Corteva Agriscience, and another, Matthew LeBaron, for Dow Chemical Company, which spun off its pesticide business but still produces chemicals used in pesticide formulations. Two others, Shawn Gannon and Sean Uhl, work for Chemours, which makes products with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Zeldin also appointed Gary Minsavage, a representative from ExxonMobil’s biomedical division.
RFK Jr. Tells Senate Glyphosate Causes Cancer
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told senators on April 21 that glyphosate, a key ingredient in herbicides like Roundup, causes cancer and that human consumption of the chemical should be minimized.
His comments came amid growing political and legal controversy over the chemical, which is widely used in agriculture. During a Senate Budget Committee hearing, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) asked Kennedy whether the chemical caused cancer.
Without hesitation, Kennedy replied, “Yes.” Schatz also asked if the chemical was safe for human use.
“I mean, safe, or does it kill weeds? It kills weeds,” Kennedy said. “I would say it’s important to minimize consumption of glyphosate as much as possible.”
Schatz told Kennedy he was being “uncharacteristically diplomatic about glyphosate,” which Kennedy, a standard-bearer for the Make America Healthy Again movement, denied. Kennedy helped secure a $289 million award from Monsanto in 2018 while representing a client who alleged Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Farm Runoff Linked to Elevated Nitrate Levels in Drinking Water Serving More Than 60 Million Americans
More than 60 million Americans get their water from sources contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate pollution, which is most likely coming from agricultural manure or fertilizer runoff, according to a new analysis.
The report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) used federal drinking water data and found that roughly 6,114 US water systems that serve roughly 62.1 million people had nitrate levels at or above 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in at least one test from 2021 to 2023.
While the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a threshold of 10 mg/L for nitrates — which can be naturally occurring — in drinking water, the agency says that levels above 3 mg/L are indicative of manure or fertilizer runoff from large-scale farms or, less frequently, wastewater plant discharge.
The report found that more than 3 million Americans receive water from systems that exceeded the EPA’s threshold during that time.
Texas’ Gulf Coast Has a Health Problem: Benzene Emissions Are Among the Highest in the Nation
Daylight hadn’t yet slipped from the sky above Port Arthur when the residents felt the ground shake. They quickly moved inside, shut windows and closed doors, sheltering in place until they got word that the explosion at the Valero Port Arthur Refinery was under control.
The ensuing fire, which polluted the community in a black chemical plume in late March, burned for nearly 10 hours and released chemicals into the air for over 10 days.
Incidents like this one are not uncommon for residents in Port Arthur, a Texas Gulf town wedged at the border between Texas and Louisiana.
Of the 131 oil refineries in the United States, more than a quarter of them are in Texas and most line the Gulf Coast. Communities like Port Arthur, which sit on the industry’s fenceline, get the brunt of the pollution — including a highly hazardous and carcinogenic chemical found in crude oil and gas called benzene.
Texas refineries have historically generated some of the highest rates of benzene emissions in the country. An Environmental Defense Fund report, published this month in the journal Environmental Research Letters, found that from 2018 to 2023, refineries in Texas produced some of the highest emissions on average compared to those in other states.
As Wildfires Worsen, Exposure to Smoke May Increase Risk of Several Cancers
Extended exposure to wildfire smoke may increase the risk of several types of cancer, according to a study presented Tuesday at an American Association for Cancer Research meeting.
The research, not yet peer-reviewed, found that people who were exposed to higher levels of wildfire smoke over the previous three years were at increased risk of lung, colorectal, breast, bladder and blood cancers. The study was based on a long-term database following more than 91,000 people.
As wildfires worsen and increase in frequency due to climate change, the research’s lead author suggested the smoke may emerge as a key driver of cancers. The work adds to a growing body of evidence of the harm associated with wildfires, ranging from increased risk of acute health harms such as asthma, to cardiovascular risks such as heart disease or stroke. A study in the Lancet Planetary Health found long-term exposure to wildfires may be linked to an increased risk of brain and lung tumors.
