Cancer risk among workers at Danish companies using trichloroethylene: a cohort study.
Trichloroethylene is an animal carcinogen with limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. Cancer incidence between 1968 and 1997 was evaluated in a cohort of 40,049 blue-collar workers in 347 Danish companies with documented trichloroethylene use. Standardized incidence ratios for total cancer were 1.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.12) in men and 1.2 (95% CI: 1.14, 1.33) in women. For non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and renal cell carcinoma, the overall standardized incidence ratios were 1.2 (95% CI: 1.0, 1.5) and 1.2 (95% CI: 0.9, 1.5), respectively; standardized incidence ratios increased with duration of employment, and elevated standardized incidence ratios were limited to workers first employed before 1980 for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and before 1970 for renal cell carcinoma. The standardized incidence ratio for esophageal adenocarcinoma was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.2, 2.7); the standardized incidence ratio was higher in companies with the highest probability of trichloroethylene exposure. In a subcohort of 14,360 presumably highly exposed workers, the standardized incidence ratios for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, renal cell carcinoma, and esophageal adenocarcinoma were 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2, 2.0), 1.4 (95% CI: 1.0, 1.8), and 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9, 2.9), respectively. The present results and those of previous studies suggest that occupational exposure to trichloroethylene at past higher levels may be associated with elevated risk for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Associations between trichloroethylene exposure and other cancers are less consistent.
Raaschou-Nielsen
Ole
O
Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark. ole@cancer.dk
Hansen
Johnni
J
McLaughlin
Joseph K
JK
Kolstad
Henrik
H
Christensen
Jytte M
JM
Tarone
Robert E
RE
Olsen
Jørgen H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000633:toxicity*
D012997:Solvents; D014241:Trichloroethylene