Cancer mortality in a Swedish cohort of pulp and paper mill workers.
OBJECTIVE
To study cancer mortality among Swedish pulp and paper mill workers by main mill pulping process and department, and to present the Swedish part of an international exposure measurements database.


METHODS
A cohort of 18,163 male and 2,290 female workers at four sulfate and four sulfite mills, enrolled from 1939 to 1999, was followed up for mortality during 1952-2001. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) relative to the general Swedish population were calculated.


RESULTS
There were 1,340 malignant cases out of 5,898 deaths. Total cancer mortality was not increased in either sulfate or sulfite mill workers, or by gender. Lung cancer mortality was increased among female workers (SMR 1.70, 95% CI 1.04-2.63), especially in paper production, but not among male workers (SMR 0.91, 95% CI 0.79-1.04). Exposure to wood dust and sulfur dioxide frequently exceeded occupational exposure limits.


CONCLUSIONS
Female paper production workers had an increased mortality from lung cancer.
Andersson
Eva
E
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. Eva.Andersson@amm.gu.se
Persson
Bodil
B
Bryngelsson
Ing-Liss
IL
Magnuson
Anders
A
Westberg
Håkan
H
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010209:Paper; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014934:Wood; D055815:Young Adult
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D013457:Sulfur Compounds