title: Assessment of cancer clusters using limited cohort data with spreadsheets: application to a leukemia cluster among rubber workers.
abstract: This paper presents methods for initial investigation of occupational cancer clusters using limited data. Phase 1 of the methods developed uses basic data from the cluster of cases, but with cohort data limited to the size of the workforce at the plant. Phase 2 of the methods requires knowledge of the number of workers entering and leaving the workforce in each year. In the absence of data concerning age, the spreadsheet programs explore a variety of worker age distributions in synthetic cohort analyses. The methods were used to assess a cluster of six cases of leukemia with an average duration of work of 11 years in a tire manufacturing plant. It was concluded that the relative risk for the age range 30-50 was at least 7, providing further evidence for the association of leukemia with work in tire manufacture. The use of spreadsheet programs can provide a valuable first step assessment of apparent workplace cancer clusters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Duggan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012408:Rubber
chemical_list: D012408:Rubber