Welding and lung cancer in a pooled analysis of case-control studies.
Several epidemiologic studies have indicated an increased risk of lung cancer among welders. We used the SYNERGY project database to assess welding as a risk factor for developing lung cancer. The database includes data on 15,483 male lung cancer cases and 18,388 male controls from 16 studies in Europe, Canada, China, and New Zealand conducted between 1985 and 2010. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals between regular or occasional welding and lung cancer were estimated, with adjustment for smoking, age, study center, and employment in other occupations associated with lung cancer risk. Overall, 568 cases and 427 controls had ever worked as welders and had an odds ratio of developing lung cancer of 1.44 (95% confidence interval: 1.25, 1.67) with the odds ratio increasing for longer duration of welding. In never and light smokers, the odds ratio was 1.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.37, 2.79). The odds ratios were somewhat higher for squamous and small cell lung cancers than for adenocarcinoma. Another 1,994 cases and 1,930 controls had ever worked in occupations with occasional welding. Work in any of these occupations was associated with some elevation of risk, though not as much as observed in regular welders. Our findings lend further support to the hypothesis that welding is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.
Benjamin
B
Kendzia
Thomas
T
Behrens
Karl-Heinz
KH
Jöckel
Jack
J
Siemiatycki
Hans
H
Kromhout
Roel
R
Vermeulen
Susan
S
Peters
Rainer
R
Van Gelder
Ann
A
Olsson
Irene
I
Brüske
H-Erich
HE
Wichmann
Isabelle
I
Stücker
Florence
F
Guida
Adonina
A
Tardón
Franco
F
Merletti
Dario
D
Mirabelli
Lorenzo
L
Richiardi
Hermann
H
Pohlabeln
Wolfgang
W
Ahrens
Maria Teresa
MT
Landi
Neil
N
Caporaso
Dario
D
Consonni
David
D
Zaridze
Neonila
N
Szeszenia-Dabrowska
Jolanta
J
Lissowska
Per
P
Gustavsson
Michael
M
Marcus
Eleonora
E
Fabianova
Andrea
A
't Mannetje
Neil
N
Pearce
Lap Ah
LA
Tse
Ignatius Tak-Sun
IT
Yu
Peter
P
Rudnai
Vladimir
V
Bencko
Vladimir
V
Janout
Dana
D
Mates
Lenka
L
Foretova
Francesco
F
Forastiere
John
J
McLaughlin
Paul
P
Demers
Bas
B
Bueno-de-Mesquita
Paolo
P
Boffetta
Joachim
J
Schüz
Kurt
K
Straif
Beate
B
Pesch
Thomas
T
Brüning
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014896:Welding
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational
case-control studies; lung cancer; occupational exposure; welding