Overview
- The peer-reviewed Nature Medicine study links early-onset colorectal cancer to exposure to the herbicide picloram inferred from DNA methylation tags.
- Across the discovery set and a pooled review the picloram methylation score tracked with young-onset cases.
- A 21-year review of 94 U.S. counties found higher young-onset cancer rates in places with heavier picloram use.
- Tumors tied to higher picloram scores showed fewer APC gene mutations, suggesting a different growth pathway.
- The authors say the results show correlation rather than causation and urge lab studies, replication, and targeted policy checks on pesticide use.