“Molecular analyses showed that pesticides disrupt processes that help maintain cell function and cellular identity. These changes can appear before cancer develops, suggesting early, cumulative, and silent effects that may make tissues more vulnerable to other risk factors, such as infections, inflammation, or environmental stressors, the study noted.”

“The most extensive at-risk zones were associated with endodermal and ectodermal epithelial cancers, the most common type among adults, affecting mainly the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and skin.”

“In Peru, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent liver cancer subtype, disproportionately affects young, non-cirrhotic individuals with Indigenous ancestry, particularly in central regions such as Junín, the researchers noted.”

“The liver is a key organ in the metabolism of chemicals and is considered a sentinel site for environmental exposure, the authors noted.”

“Liver cancer clusters coincided with areas of heavy pesticide exposure, and that non-tumour liver tissue carried a molecular signature consistent with early carcinogen exposure.”

“Pesticides are widespread in food, water, and ecosystems, meaning mapping environmental exposure is considerably challenging, the authors wrote.”

“Intensive agriculture, unsustainable land management, and limited healthcare converge to erode ecological resilience and deepen health inequalities.”