Correlation between serum concentration of diazinon pesticide and breast cancer incidence in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran

Growing evidences have revealed a positive association between organophosphorus pesticides and diseases like cancer. Located in northern Iran, Mazandaran Province is a region with the overuse of agricultural pesticides. Due to the extensive use of the pesticides like diazinon in rice paddies of Mazandaran for the control of Chilo suppressalis, and high incidence rate of cancer in this province, we analysed and compared diazinon in the serum samples of the breast-cancer patients with the healthy volunteers. This cross-sectional case-control study inludes 10 breast-cancer patients and 10 healthy controls. Diazinon was extracted with a mixture of acetone and diethyl ether (1:1 v/v) in acidic medium and the residue was analyzed by GC-MS instrument. Results showed the presence of 0.151 ppm diazinon in the serum of just one healthy subject. In conclusion, despite excessive use of diazinon in Mazandaran Province, no association was found between serum level of diazinon and the incidence of breast cancer.