Cohort mortality study of capacitor manufacturing workers, 1944-2000.
A mortality study of workers employed between 1944 and 1977 at an electrical capacitor manufacturing plant where polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated naphthalenes, and other chemicals were used was undertaken. Age, gender, and calendar year-adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for 2885 white workers. Total mortality and all-cancer mortality were similar to expected in both males and females. Females employed 10 or more years had a significantly elevated SMR of 6.2 for liver/biliary cancer. Intestinal cancer was significantly elevated in females employed 5 or more years after PCBs were introduced (SMR = 2.2). In males, stomach cancer (SMR = 2.2) and thyroid cancer (SMR = 15.2) were significantly elevated. Although individual exposure assessment was limited, PCBs alone or in combination with other chemicals could be associated with increased risks for liver/biliary, stomach, intestinal, and thyroid cancer.
Mallin
Katherine
K
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology-Biostastics Health, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. kmallin@uic.edu
McCann
Ken
K
D'Aloisio
Aimee
A
Freels
Sally
S
Piorkowski
Julie
J
Dimos
John
J
Persky
Victoria
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D007221:Industry / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D009281:Naphthalenes; C031721:naphthalene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls