A review of prostate cancer incidence and mortality studies of farmers and non-farmers, 2002-2013

Objectives: To review the recent literature on the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer in farmers compared to non-farmers. Methods: Searches were conducted in seven electronic databases for observational studies published from 2002 to 2013. Studies were assessed against eligibility criteria and a narrative summary of findings presented. Results: Eighteen primary research articles were included in the review. Four of ten mortality studies and two of nine incidence studies reported statistically significant increases in prostate cancer risk in farmers. However, nearly half of all studies reported non-significant reductions in farmers' risk. Additionally, one study reported significantly increased and decreased risk using different outcome measures. Results varied considerably by geographic region, study design and degree of control for confounders, affecting comparability and strength of findings. Conclusions: The overall evidence for increased prostate cancer risk in farmers was weak. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.