Occupational exposure to some pesticides, and particularly
DBCP and
chlordecone, may adversely affect male fertility. However, apart from the
therapeutic use of
diethylstilbestrol, the threat to human reproduction posed by "endocrine disrupting" environmental contaminants has not been supported by epidemiological evidence thus far. As it concerns other endocrine effects described in experimental animals, only thyroid inhibition following occupational exposure to
amitrole and
mancozeb has been confirmed in humans.
Cancer of the breast, endometrium, ovary, prostate, testis, and thyroid are
hormone-dependent, which fostered research on the potential risk associated with occupational and environmental exposure to the so-called endocrine-disrupting pesticides. The most recent studies have ruled out the hypothesis of
DDT derivatives as responsible for excess risks of
cancer of the reproductive organs. Still, we cannot exclude a role for high level exposure to
o,p'-DDE, particularly in post-menopausal ER+
breast cancer. On the other hand, other organochlorine pesticides and
triazine herbicides require further investigation for a possible etiologic role in some
hormone-dependent
cancers.