Cancer mortality in cohorts of workers in the European rubber manufacturing industry first employed since 1975

Thomas Sorahan, M Boniol, Alice Koechlin, Beate Swiatkowska, Jurgen Wellmann, Dirk Taeger, Kristina Jakobsson, Enrico Pira, Paolo Boffetta, Carlo La Vecchia, C Pizot, Peter Boyle

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    Abstract

    Background: Increased cancer risk has been reported among workers in the rubber manufacturing industry employed before the 1960s. It is unclear whether risk remains increased among workers hired subsequently. The present study focused on risk of cancer mortality for rubber workers first employed since 1975 in 64 factories.

    Patients and methods: Anonymised data from cohorts of rubber workers employed for at least one year from Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom were pooled. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs), based on country-specific death rates, were reported for bladder and lung cancer (primary outcomes of interest), for other selected cancer sites, and for cancer sites with a minimum of 10 deaths in men or women. Analyses stratified by type of industry, period and duration of employment were performed.

    Results: 38,457 individuals (29,768 men; 8,689 women) contributed to 949,370 person-years. No increased risk of bladder cancer was observed (SMR=0.80, 95%CI (0.46; 1.38)). The risk of lung cancer death was reduced (SMR=0.81, 95%CI (0.70; 0.94)). No statistically significant increased risk was observed for any other cause of death. A reduced risk was evident for total cancer mortality (SMR=0.81, 95%CI (0.76; 0.87)). Risks were lower for workers in the tyre industry compared to workers in the general rubber goods sector. Analysis by employment duration showed a negative trend with SMRs decreasing with increasing duration of employment. In an analysis of secondary endpoints, when stratified by type of industry and period of first employment, excess risks of myeloma and gastric cancer were observed each due, essentially, to results from one centre.

    Conclusion: No consistent increased risk of cancer death was observed among rubber workers first employed since 1975, no overall analysis of the pooled cohort produced significantly increased risk. Continued surveillance of the present cohorts is required to confirm absence of long-term risk.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)933-941
    Number of pages9
    JournalAnnals of Oncology
    Volume27
    Early online date15 Feb 2016
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2016

    Keywords

    • rubber
    • occupational exposure
    • cohort study
    • cancer
    • mortality

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