title: Cancer and benign tumor incidence among employees in a polymers research complex.
abstract: The detection of several intracranial tumors among employees in one building complex (C500) at a petrochemical research facility prompted investigation of a possible workplace cause. This retrospective follow-up study included 1847 subjects, of whom 1735 had worked in C500. Medical records, death certificates, and Illinois State Cancer Registry data confirmed self-reported cancers and tumors. Analyses compared the subjects' cancer and benign intracranial tumor incidence rates with national general population rates. C500 employees had 15% fewer than expected total cancers (92 observed/108 expected; standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 85; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 69 to 104). An excess of brain cancer (6/2.0; SIR, 302; 95% CI, 111 to 657) was concentrated among white men who had 10 or more years since hire and 5 or more years of C500 employment (4/0.7; SIR, 602; 95% CI, 165 to 1552) and who had worked in a particular building of C500 (5/0.7; SIR, 735; 95% CI, 239 to 1716). An excess of benign intracranial tumors (6/1.6; SIR, 385; 95% CI, 142 to 839) was not restricted to a single type of tumor and was not concentrated in any particular building. Occupational exposure may have caused the increased rate of brain cancer but is a less likely explanation for the elevated rate of benign intracranial tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and International Health, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 220A Royals Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA. colleen@uab.edu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beall
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delzell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sathiakumar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002617:Chemical Industry; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010578:Petroleum; D011108:Polymers; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D011108:Polymers