Cancer incidence and mortality in a Swedish rubber tire manufacturing plant.
BACKGROUND
A classification of 12 work categories was used to evaluate the cancer incidence and mortality among a cohort of Swedish rubber tire workers.


METHODS
Cancer incidence and mortality in the cohort was compared with expected values from national rates. Standardized incidence and mortality ratios were calculated for the total cohort, for sub-cohorts and with the inclusion of a latency requirement.


RESULTS
Among men, increased incidence and mortality risks were found for cancer in the larynx; SIR=2.10; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 1.05-3.76, SMR=2.08; 95% CI: 0.42-6.09. Increased risks were also seen for cancer in the trachea, bronchus, and lung; SIR=1.62; 95% CI: 1.28-2.02, SMR=1.54; 95% CI: 1.21-1.94, the incidence risk was highest among those with the longest exposure duration and among workers in compounding/mixing, milling, and maintenance. Decreased incidence risks were seen for cancer of the prostate (SIR=0.74; 95% CI: 059-0.92) and skin (SIR=0.57; 95% CI: 0.36-0.84).


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of an excess of tumors in the respiratory system is in agreement with earlier findings in other studies on rubber tire workers. The results on other cancer types are compared to earlier findings and related to work processes and chemical exposures of possible causal importance.
Wingren
Gun
G
Divison of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. gunwi@imk.liu.se
Axelson
Olav
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008420:Manufactured Materials / Q000633:toxicity*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010578:Petroleum / Q000633:toxicity*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012142:Respiratory Tract Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012408:Rubber / Q000633:toxicity*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D010578:Petroleum; D012408:Rubber