Risk of lung cancer and exposure to industrial acids, solvents, and metals in leningrad province, Russia.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate the association of occupational exposure to industrial acids, solvents, and metals with lung cancer in Leningrad Province, Russia, where an excess of occupationally related lung cancer was reported recently.


METHODS
We identified 540 pathologically diagnosed lung cancer cases and 582 controls from the 1993-1998 autopsy records of the 88 Leningrad Province hospitals. Lifetime job-specific exposure measurements were available for 12 industrial acids, 15 solvents, and 17 metals.


RESULTS
Exposures were frequent in the study group and mostly occurred after World War II. However, lung cancer risks for industrial acids (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8-1.7), solvents (OR = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.6-1.2), and metals (OR = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.5-1.0) were not increased. Also, no significant excess risk was found for any of the specific agents investigated.


CONCLUSIONS
The excess of occupationally related lung cancer in the Province is not explained by exposure to the agents investigated.
Baccarelli
Andrea
A
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA. andrea.baccarelli@unimi.it
Tretiakova
Maria
M
Gorbanev
Sergey
S
Lomtev
Alexei
A
Klimkina
Irina
I
Tchibissov
Vladimir
V
Averkina
Olga
O
Dosemeci
Mustafa
M
D000143:Acids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D016015:Logistic Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008670:Metals / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D012306:Risk; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000143:Acids; D008670:Metals; D012997:Solvents