Cancer mortality among textile workers in Shanghai, China: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the association between cotton textile work and cancer mortality.


METHODS
The cancer mortality experience of 912 (444 cotton, 468 silk) textile workers in Shanghai, China, was compared. Workers were followed from 1981 to 2003. The associations between cotton textile work and death due to all cancers combined (with and without lung cancer) and to gastrointestinal cancers were estimated with Cox models, adjusting for age, work years, and pack-years.


RESULTS
There were 69 deaths. The adjusted hazard rate ratio (HR) was 2.10 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-4.47) for all cancers combined and 2.56 (95% CI, 1.14-5.74) after excluding lung cancer. For gastrointestinal cancers, the adjusted HR was 2.09 (95% CI, 0.83-5.27).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that, with the exception of lung cancer, cotton workers have significantly higher cancer mortality rates than silk workers.
Fang
Shona C
SC
Department of Environmental Health (Occupational Health Program), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Eisen
Ellen A
EA
Dai
Helian
H
Zhang
Hongxi
H
Hang
Jingqing
J
Wang
Xiaorong
X
Christiani
David C
DC
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013784:Textiles