Agricultural Activities and Cancer Risk among Agricultural Health Insurance Affiliates: Interim Results from the AGRICAN Study

The AGRICAN study is a large-scale French cohort of over 180,000 agricultural workers and retirees monitored from 2005 to 2011 to evaluate cancer risks associated with farming activities and pesticide use. The interim analysis found lower rates of smoking-related cancers but elevated risks for hematological malignancies, prostate cancer, lip cancers, and melanomas, particularly among those using insecticides on animals or crops without protective gloves. Conversely, farmers engaged in cattle or horse handling showed a strong protective effect against lung cancer, independent of smoking. The cohort’s follow-up phase launched in 2015, incorporating self-administered questionnaires to update occupational exposures and lifestyle factors, and ongoing international collaborations under the AGRICOH consortium.