title: Mortality among capacitor workers exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a long-term update.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous in the environment. Concerns have been raised about cancer and other disease risks. This follow-up mortality study of PCB workers addresses some of these concerns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mortality among 7,061 PCB capacitor workers was updated through 2008 (287,712 person-years; mean follow-up 41 years). Adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for USA and New York State referent rates. Standardized rate ratios (SRRs) were calculated based on employment duration and latency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Standardized mortality ratios for all causes of death were statistically significantly lower in the total cohort (SMR 92; 95 % CI 89-96) and in males (SMR 88; 95 % CI 83-92), but not in females (SMR 100; 95 % CI 94-106). For all cancers combined, SMRs for the total cohort (SMR 103; 95 % CI 96-111) and for males (SMR 96; 95 % CI 87-105) did not differ from the expected rates, in contrast to females (SMR 114; 95 % CI 103-126). Buccal cavity and pharyngeal cancers were statistically increased in the combined cohort (SMR 169; 95 % CI 108-251) and in females (SMR 273; 95 % CI 131-502). Respiratory system malignancies were statistically lower in males (SMR 83; 95 % CI 70-97), while they were increased in females (SMR 143; 95 % CI 118-172). Melanomas were statistically significantly increased in male salaried workers only. No positive trends (SRRs) with increasing length of employment and increasing latency were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive results lacking exposure-response relationships are subject to confounding and probably do not represent causal associations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Risk Evaluation, P.O. Box 15452, Washington, DC, 20003, USA.
authors.forename: Renate D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kimbrough
authors.forename: Constantine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Krouskas
authors.forename: Wenjing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Shields
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D004560:Electricity; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
references.citation: Arch Environ Health. 1978 Nov-Dec;33(6):313-7
references.pmid: 736615
references.citation: Arch Environ Health. 1981 May-Jun;36(3):120-9
references.pmid: 6787990
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 1992 Sep;82(9):1230-4
references.pmid: 1503163
references.citation: Int J Cancer. 2001 Feb 15;91(4):568-74
references.pmid: 11251983
references.citation: J Occup Health. 2010;52(4):199-208
references.pmid: 20467200
references.citation: Crit Rev Toxicol. 2009;39(4):299-331
references.pmid: 19514916
references.citation: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 May;19(5):1381-4
references.pmid: 20406963
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 1998 Sep;40(9):808-13
references.pmid: 9777565
references.citation: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 May;15(5):830-9
references.pmid: 16702358
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 1985 May;60:165-84
references.pmid: 2863133
references.citation: Int J Cancer. 2007 Dec 15;121(12):2767-75
references.pmid: 17722095
references.citation: Environ Res. 2011 Feb;111(2):254-9
references.pmid: 21238956
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 1992 Aug 15;136(4):389-98
references.pmid: 1415158
references.citation: Proc R Soc Med. 1965 May;58:295-300
references.pmid: 14283879
references.citation: Med Lav. 2013 Mar-Apr;104(2):107-14
references.pmid: 23789517
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Jan;114(1):18-23
references.pmid: 16393652
references.citation: Arch Environ Health. 1985 Jan-Feb;40(1):29-37
references.pmid: 3922318
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2004 Jun;46(6):565-76
references.pmid: 15213519
references.citation: Toxicol Sci. 1998 Jan;41(1):62-76
references.pmid: 9520342
references.citation: Arch Environ Health. 1987 Nov-Dec;42(6):333-9
references.pmid: 3125795
references.citation: Epidemiology. 2010 Mar;21(2):172-80
references.pmid: 20087190
references.citation: Leuk Lymphoma. 2001 Aug;42(4):619-29
references.pmid: 11697490
references.citation: Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2006 May;72(2):190-6
references.pmid: 16298012
references.citation: Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1982 Feb;49(3-4):199-208
references.pmid: 6802767
references.citation: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Mar;16(3):373-6
references.pmid: 17337641
references.citation: Int J Cancer. 2011 Apr 15;128(8):1872-80
references.pmid: 20533551
references.citation: Ann Epidemiol. 2001 Jan;11(1):46-50
references.pmid: 11164119
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 1985 May;60:193-9
references.pmid: 3928345
references.citation: J Natl Cancer Inst. 1977 Mar;58(3):525-47
references.pmid: 557114
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2006 Jul;48(7):662-7
references.pmid: 16832222
references.citation: Toxicol Rev. 2003;22(4):217-33
references.pmid: 15189045
references.citation: Lancet Oncol. 2013 Apr;14(4):287-8
references.pmid: 23499544
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 2008 Feb;65(2):132-40
references.pmid: 17699548
references.citation: Cancer Res. 2007 Jun 1;67(11):5545-52
references.pmid: 17545638
references.citation: J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Nov;70(21):1873-7
references.pmid: 17934961
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 1987;11(2):165-76
references.pmid: 3103429
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2003 Mar;45(3):271-82
references.pmid: 12661184
references.citation: Epidemiol Prev. 1996 Apr-Sep;20(2-3):200-2
references.pmid: 8766323
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 1997 Oct;54(10):720-8
references.pmid: 9404319
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Jan;120(1):105-11
references.pmid: 22328999
references.citation: Cancer Res. 2005 Dec 1;65(23):11214-26
references.pmid: 16322272
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 1988;13(1):5-41
references.pmid: 3344755
references.citation: Environ Res. 2010 Jan;110(1):62-9
references.pmid: 19811780
references.citation: Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2014 Mar;217(2-3):176-87
references.pmid: 23707056
references.citation: Environ Int. 2011 Feb;37(2):449-53
references.pmid: 21167603
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 1999 Mar;41(3):161-71
references.pmid: 10091139
references.citation: J Occup Med. 1976 Nov;18(11):743-54
references.pmid: 993866
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1976 Aug 19;295(8):450
references.pmid: 819831
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Jun;112(8):854-61
references.pmid: 15175172
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Oct;114(10):1508-14
references.pmid: 17035134
references.citation: Cancer. 2000 May 15;88(10):2398-424
references.pmid: 10820364
references.citation: J Occup Med. 1982 Feb;24(2):109-14
references.pmid: 6799628
references.citation: Int J Oncol. 1996 Oct;9(4):603-8
references.pmid: 21541557