Do phenoxy herbicides cause cancer in man?

Two Swedish case-control studies have shown an increased risk of soft-tissue sarcomas in men exposed to phenoxy herbicides and chlorophenols during their application. A high incidence of soft-tissue sarcomas has also been observed among workers employed in the manufacture of these products in the U.S.A. Other studies have failed to demonstrate this association. A third case-control study in Sweden suggests that phenoxy acids and chlorophenols may also predispose to Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but as yet there is little support for this theory from other sources. Further research is urgently needed to confirm or refute these associations, to define the extent of the risk (if any), and to identify the carcinogen(s).