Vinyl chloride and liver and brain cancer at a polymer production plant in Louisville, Kentucky.
Studies of overlapping cohorts in the United States have shown an excess mortality from brain cancer in vinyl chloride (VC)-exposed workers. One plant located in Louisville, Kentucky, is included in many of these studies. We separated this plant from the large US cohort and re-analyzed the mortality experience. Louisville experienced significantly elevated liver (standardized mortality analyses [SMR] = 400) and brain cancer (SMR = 229) mortality. Liver cancer mortality remained significantly elevated (SMR = 344) in the remaining cohort; however, brain cancer mortality was markedly reduced (SMR = 112) when Louisville was removed. In contrast with liver cancer, a preliminary review of work assignments did not suggest that the brain cancer excess was related to VC exposure. The Louisville brain cancer cluster has had a significant impact on the reported literature. Although unrelated to VC, the cause of this cluster remains uncertain.
Lewis
Richard
R
University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA. lewisr3@ccf.org
Rempala
Grzegorz
G
Dell
Linda D
LD
Mundt
Kenneth A
KA
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D002617:Chemical Industry; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014752:Vinyl Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D014752:Vinyl Chloride