title: Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and risk of cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: METHODS
  We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for epidemiologic studies on occupational exposure to methylene chloride and risk of cancer. Estimates of study-specific odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using inverse-variance-weighted fixed-effects models and random-effects models. Statistical tests for heterogeneity were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We summarized data from five cohort studies and 13 case-control studies. The pooled OR for multiple myeloma was (OR 2.04; 95 % CI 1.31-3.17) in relation to occupational exposure to methylene chloride but not for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, breast, bronchus, trachea and lung, brain and other CNS, biliary passages and liver, prostate, pancreas, and rectum. Furthermore, we focused on specific outcomes for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma because of exposure misclassification. The pooling OR for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma was 1.42 (95 % CI 1.10-1.83) with moderate degree of heterogeneity among the studies (I (2) = 26.9 %, p = 0.205).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found an excess risk of multiple myeloma. The non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia that have shown weak effects should be investigated further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Huzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 999 Changxing Rd, Huzhou, 313000, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qin-er
authors.initials: QE
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Chuan-hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008752:Methylene Chloride