title: Brain cancer in workers employed at a specialty chemical research facility.
abstract: ABSTRACT This study evaluated unique exposures and their relationship to brain cancer mortality in employees of a specialty chemical research facility. Following an exposure assessment that concerned compounds distinct to this facility, the authors conducted a cohort mortality study of 5,284 workers to assess mortality in reference to the general population and a nested case-control study to evaluate brain cancer risk associated with specific jobs and unique chemical exposures. Four hundred eighty-six deaths, including 14 brain cancer deaths, were identified. Overall mortality was lower than expected. Brain cancer mortality was elevated (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] = 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11-3.40). Exposures to 5 specific chemical categories were assessed. Exploration of work history and the specific chemical exposures did not explain the brain cancer cases. No clear occupational etiology was identified.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mandel
authors.forename: Laura L F
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Gurumurthy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: Yu Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002617:Chemical Industry; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants