Potential risk factors for haematological cancers in semiconductor workers.
BACKGROUND
There has recently been increased interest in cancer incidence in electronics workers.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the cancer incidence ratio in electronics workers and the potential factors affecting the risk for development of cancer.


METHODS
Epidemiological study performed in electronics workers who were employed between 1999 and 2008 in South Korea. Cancer incidence ratio was analysed with respect to departments, divisions, job titles, gender, age, hepatitis B and C virus infection and work duration. We compared the incidence of haematological cancer in this cohort with that expected in the general population.


RESULTS
The study population was 56283. Overall, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for haematological cancer was 0.85. In particular, the SIR for leukaemia was 0.86 and for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was 0.93, which were not statistically significant. The SIR for NHL was significantly increased [SIR 5.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-20.95] in female office workers. We also found that the SIR for NHL was significantly increased in female workers who tested positive for hepatitis virus infection (SIR 7.69, 95% CI 1.08-54.60).


CONCLUSIONS
The raised SIR for NHL among female workers was due to potential risk factors such as hepatitis virus infection although additional research and an ongoing, long-term, prospective epidemiological cohort study is needed.
Samsung Health Research Institute, Samsung Electronics, Yongin-City 446-711, Korea.
K
K
Lee
Department of Occupational Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 110-746, Korea, k01052683211@gmail.com soogeun.kim@samsung.com.
S-G
SG
Kim
Department of Occupational Medicine, Myong Ji Hospital, Seonam University School of Medicine, Gyeonggi 412-826, Korea. k01052683211@gmail.com soogeun.kim@samsung.com.
D
D
Kim
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004581:Electronics; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D006518:Hepatitis Viruses; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007938:Leukemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012666:Semiconductors; D014937:Work; D055815:Young Adult
Epidemiology; haematological cancer; hepatitis virus; semiconductor worker.