Cancer incidence among women flax textile manufacturing workers in Lithuania.
OBJECTIVE
To determine site-specific cancer incidence among women spinning-weaving and dyeing-finishing workers in the largest flax textile factory in Lithuania.


METHODS
The cancer incidence of a cohort of 3447 women workers from a flax textile factory was investigated for the period 1978-2002. All subjects were employed at the plant in the period 1957-2000 for a minimum of 12 months. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated by use of the corresponding national rates. SIRs were calculated for the spinning-weaving and dyeing-finishing work categories, and for two durations of employment categories (<10 years, > or =10 years).


RESULTS
The cancer SIRs among spinning-weaving and dyeing-finishing workers were 0.84 (95% CI 0.69 to 1.00) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.52 to 1.44). An incidence deficit for non-melanoma skin cancer was found for the spinning-weaving unit (SIR 0.45, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.92). The risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancer was significantly increased in spinning-weaving unit workers with <10 years of employment (SIR 5.71, 95% CI 1.56 to 14.60). A significant excess of thyroid cancer and nervous system cancer was found among dyeing-finishing workers.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer incidence rate among flax spinning-weaving workers was lower compared with the Lithuanian population. The present findings lend some support to an excess of thyroid and nervous system cancers among dyeing-finishing workers and of oral cavity and pharynx cancer in spinning-weaving workers.
Kuzmickiene
Irena
I
Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University. Baublio 3B, Vilnius, Lithuania. irena.kuzmickiene@vuoi.lt
Stukonis
Mecys
M
D005260:Female; D019597:Flax / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013784:Textiles