Summary
IARC Monograph Volume 112 presents a systematic evaluation by an international working group of the carcinogenic potential of selected organophosphate insecticides and herbicides. Glyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide, was classified as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' (Group 2A), based on limited evidence in humans and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. The monograph draws on published epidemiological cohort and case-control studies, alongside mechanistic data on genotoxicity and oxidative stress, to support its hazard assessments.
UK applicability
The classifications are directly applicable to UK regulatory and occupational health contexts, informing the Health and Safety Executive's risk assessments and UK pesticide authorisation reviews, particularly given ongoing debate around glyphosate re-registration in the post-Brexit regulatory landscape.
Key measures
IARC carcinogenicity classification (Group 1, 2A, 2B); epidemiological evidence from cohort and case-control studies; mechanistic and toxicological evidence
Outcomes reported
The monograph evaluates the carcinogenic hazard to humans of several organophosphate compounds, most notably glyphosate, malathion, and diazinon, assigning IARC Group classifications based on epidemiological and mechanistic evidence. It reports on associations between exposure to these compounds and cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
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