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Revista internacional de contaminación ambiental

versión impresa ISSN 0188-4999

Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient vol.21 no.3 Ciudad de México jul./sep. 2005

 

Articles

DDT'S, HCH AND HCB LEVELS IN BREAST ADIPOSE TISSUE IN WOMEN WITH BREAST TUMORS

Stefan M. Waliszewski1 

Marco T. Bermudez2 

Carmen S. Silva1 

Rosa M. Infanzon1 

Octavio Carvajal1 

Sandra Gomez Arroyo2 

Rafael Villalobos Pietrini2 

Patricia Trujillo1 

Vicente Saldaña3 

Guadalupe Melo1 

Sergio Esquivel3 

Felipe Castro3 

Héctor Ocampo3 

J. Torres3 

Patricia M. Hayward-Jones4 

1Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Veracruz, 94290 Boca del Río, Ver. México

2Center of Atmospheric Sciences, UNAM, México

3The Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS Hospital), Veracruz

4Chemical-Biological Area University of Veracruz


ABSTRACT

Organochlorine pesticides have been used in Mexico in agriculture, sanitation, malaria programs and livestock to combat ectoparasites. Due to their chemical stability, persistence and lipophility, their residues bioconcentrate in lipid-rich tissues, according to the equilibrium pattern of internal transport and lipid tissue content. The studies on their role as estrogenic or antiandrogenic agents have related these pesticides to breast cancer. Therefore, organochlorine pesticides were determined in breast adipose tissue of women subjected to surgery due to the diagnosis of breast abnormalities. The study pool constituted 127 women with malignant breast tumors, 127 with benign breast tumors and 127 in a control group without breast abnormalities. The pesticides determined were: HCB, β-HCH, pp'DDE, op'DDT, pp'DDT and Σ-DDT. Comparing the studied groups, the highest residue levels were determined in the benign breast tumor group. The determined levels from the control group through malignant to benign cases increased stepwise; HCB: 0.045, 0.099, 0.116 mg kg- 1, β-HCH: 0.163, 0.265, 0.319 mg kg- 1, pp'DDE: 0.782, 0.980, 1.761 mg kg" 1, op'DDT: 0.035, 0.094, 0.176 mg kg- 1, pp'DDT: 0.296, 0.351, 0.661 mg kg- 1, Σ-DDT: 1.112, 1.423, 2.601 mg kg- 1, respectively. Paired analyses of the three groups revealed divergences among them and correlation of these pesticide levels with breast tumors. Calculated relative risk (RR) values for the benign to control group and the malignant to control cases presented the following values: HCB: 2.11, 2.01, β-HCH: 1.96, 1.58, pp'DDE: 2.13, 1.17, op'DDT: 4.42, 2.27, pp'DDT: 2.33, 1.33, Σ-DDT: 2.21, 1.19 respectively. The obtained results indicate higher organochlorine pesticide residue levels in women with benign breast abnormalities and higher relative risk related to op'DDT presence.

Key words: pesticides; breast tumors

RESUMEN

En México, los plaguicidas organoclorados se ha utilizado en agricultura, salud pública en programas del combate a la malaria y a ectoparásitos de ganado. Debido a su estabilidad química, persistencia y lipofilidad, sus residuos se biomagnifican en tejidos ricos en grasa de acuerdo con el estado de equilibrio entre el transporte interno y el contenido de lípidos en tejidos. Los estudios sobre su papel como agentes estrogénicos o antiandrogénicos relacionan a los plaguicidas organoclorados con el cáncer mamario. Por esta razón se determinaron los niveles de plaguicidas organoclorados en mujeres sujetas a cirugía para diagnosticar anomalías mamarias. En el estudio participaron 127 pacientes con tumor maligno de seno, 127 pacientes con tumor benigno de seno y 127 pacientes como testigos sin anomalías mamarias. Los plaguicidas estudiados fueron: HCB, β-HCH, pp'DDE, op'DDT, pp'DDT y Σ-DDT. Comparando con el grupo testigo, el nivel superior se determinó en las pacientes con tumor benigno de mama. Los niveles de plaguicidas organoclorados desde el grupo testigo al grupo de casos malignos y benignos se incrementó paulatinamente: HCB: 0.045, 0.099, 0.116 mg kg- 1, β-HCH: 0.163, 0.265, 0.319 mg kg" 1, pp'DDE: 0.782, 0.980, 1.761 mg kg" 1, op'DDT: 0.035, 0.094, 0.176 mg kg-1, pp'DDT: 0.296, 0.351, 0.661 mg kg-1, Σ-DDT: 1.112, 1.423, 2.601 mg kg" 1, respectivamente. El análisis pareado de medias reveló divergencia entre los tres grupos y correlación de los niveles de plaguicidas organoclorados en el tumor mamario benigno. Al calcular los valores del riesgo relativo (RR) para los grupos con tumor mamario benigno y maligno, se obtuvieron los valores siguientes: HCB: 2.11, 2.01, β-HCH: 1.96, 1.58, pp'DDE: 2.13, 1.17, op'DDT: 4.42, 2.27, pp'DDT: 2.33, 1.33, Σ-DDT: 2.21, 1.19, respectivamente. Los resultados obtenidos indican mayores concentraciones de plaguicidas organoclorados en mujeres con anomalías benignas de seno y un riesgo relativo mayor relacionado con la presencia del op'DDT.

Palabras clave: plaguicidas; tumores de seno

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Received: May 2005; Accepted: August 2005

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