Exposure to beryllium and occurrence of lung cancer: a reexamination of findings from a nested case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to reanalyze a nested case-control study of beryllium and lung cancer because we identified analysis and study design issues that could have led to the elevated odds ratios obtained in the study.


METHODS
We reanalyzed the data using nontransformed exposure metrics instead of log-transformed metrics used in the publication. We identified and examined effects on estimated odds ratios of imbalances between cases and controls caused by the control selection method.


RESULTS
This reanalysis found no elevated odds ratios for any exposure variable.


CONCLUSIONS
: Our conclusions differ from the authors' interpretation that the findings are due to a causal relationship between beryllium exposure and lung cancer. Our alternative explanation is that they may be due to methodological problems that could have been controlled by closer matching of controls to cases.


CONCLUSIONS
This study challenges conclusions made from a large case-control study concerning beryllium-lung cancer associations. Occupational medicine practitioners may want to integrate findings from this study into advice they give beryllium-exposed workers concerned about lung cancer.
Levy
Paul S
PS
RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194, USA. levy@rti.org
Roth
H Daniel
HD
Deubner
David C
DC
D001608:Beryllium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D001608:Beryllium