Background: Phenoxy herbicides have been used widely in agriculture, forestry, parks and domestic gardens. Early studies linked them with soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but when last reviewed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1986, the evidence for human carcinogenicity was limited.
Sources of data: We searched Medline and Embase, looking for cohort or case-control studies that provided data on risk of STS and/or NHL in relation to phenoxy herbicides, and checked the reference lists of relevant publications for papers that had been missed.
Areas of agreement, areas of controversy: The extensive evidence is not entirely consistent, and a hazard of STS or NHL cannot firmly be ruled out. However, if there is a hazard, then absolute risks must be small.
Growing points, areas timely for developing research: Extended follow-up of previously assembled cohorts may be the most efficient way of further reducing uncertainties.
Keywords: 2,4,5-T; 2,4-D; MCPA; MCPP; cancer; epidemiology.
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