Cancer mortality among magazine printing workers.
OBJECTIVE
After an inquiry from the employees of an offset printing plant, a historical cohort study was conducted to investigate cancer mortality among these workers.


METHODS
The cohort comprised 262 men, who contributed 2771 person-years of observation. 16 deaths were identified during the follow up period (1980-91). Expected numbers of deaths were derived from age specific regional rates. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated.


RESULTS
An increased cancer mortality was found after 10 years of employment (SMR 213, 95% CI 98 to 405, based on nine deaths), mainly due to a high mortality from lung cancer (SMR 381, 95% CI 104 to 975, four deaths), and from oesophageal cancer (SMR 1049, 95% CI 216 to 3065, three deaths). For workers with at least 20 years since the start of employment, the SMR was 262 (95% CI 105 to 540) for all cancer sites, 447 (95% CI 92 to 1306) for lung cancer, and 1094 (95% CI 132 to 3952) for oesophageal cancer. The increased cancer mortality was concentrated among pressmen.


CONCLUSIONS
Although based on small numbers, the findings suggest an increased risk of cancer among these workers, which should be further investigated.
Luce
D
D
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 88, Saint-Maurice, France.
Landre
M F
MF
Clavel
T
T
Limousin
I
I
Dimerman
S
S
Moulin
J J
JJ
D015331:Cohort Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011327:Printing; D012189:Retrospective Studies