title: Mortality from lymphohematopoietic neoplasms and other causes in a cohort of laminated plastic workers exposed to formaldehyde.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A possible relationship between exposure to formaldehyde and leukemia-particularly myeloid leukemia-as well as of lymphoid neoplasms has been debated and is still controversial. We thus examined the issue using data from a cohort of workers of a laminated plastic factory sited in Piedmont, northern Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study cohort included 2,750 subjects (2,227 men and 523 women) who worked in the factory between 1947 and 2011, for at least 180 days. Follow-up ended in May 2011, for a total of 70,933 person-years of observation. We computed standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using national and (whenever available) Piedmont Region death rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, there were 417 deaths versus 493.4 expected ones (SMR = 84.5, 95% CI 76.6-93.0). The SMRs were 79.8 (95% CI 67.5-93.6) for total cancer mortality, 148.5 (95% CI 68.0-282.2) for oral cavity and pharynx (three deaths were registered, but not confirmed, as nasopharyngeal cancer), 48.3 (95% CI 13.1-123.7) for pancreas, 66.1 (95% CI 13.6-193.0) for larynx, and 96.7 (95% CI 72.0-127.2) for lung cancer. The SMR of all lymphohematopoietic malignancies was 68.6 (95% CI 31.4-130.3; nine observed deaths). This tended to increase with duration of exposure and to decrease with period at first exposure, always remaining below 100. There were four deaths from lymphoma (SMR = 74.1, 95% CI 20.1-189.6) and five deaths from leukemia (SMR = 92.4, 95% CI 29.9-215.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no meaningful excess mortality from any lymphohematopoietic nor other neoplasms, except possibly for nasopharyngeal cancer.
authors: Section of Occupational Medicine, Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Via Zuretti 29, 10126, Turin, Italy.
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Pira
authors: Canzio
authors: C
authors: Romano
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Verga
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: La Vecchia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007938:Leukemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde