title: Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and lymphatic and hematopoietic neoplasms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.
abstract: Data on the risk of lymphatic and hematopoietic neoplasms among workers whose jobs entail high exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are sparse, and mainly based on small-size studies. We carried out a systematic review of occupational cohort studies that reported results on incidence or mortality from Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), leukemia or multiple myeloma (MM) among workers exposed to PAH. We computed meta-analytic estimates using a random effect model. Meta-relative risk (meta-RR) was computed separately by each type of neoplasm, job or industry. We identified 41 studies (12 in iron and steel foundries, 11 in aluminum plant, 6 in cokeries, 6 in carbon electrode manufacturing, 2 on asphalt workers, 2 on creosote-exposed workers, 1 on tar distillery workers and 1 evaluating both tar distillery workers and roofers). No significant excess risk of any lymphatic and hematopoietic neoplasms was found among workers employed in jobs or industries entailing high PAH exposure. Among 18 meta-analytic estimates by job or industry and type of neoplasm, 16 were close to unit, i.e., between 0.72 and 1.27, whereas the meta-RR was 1.38 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.95-2.01] for HL in foundry workers and 2.01 (95 % CI 0.96-4.22) for NHL in workers exposed to creosote. There was no association between occupation entailing high PAH exposure and risk of MM or leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Augusto Vanzetti 5, 20133, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alicandro
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rota
authors.affiliation: The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Augusto Vanzetti 5, 20133, Milan, Italy. carlo.lavecchia@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003407:Creosote / Q000633:toxicity*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012306:Risk; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D003407:Creosote; D000535:Aluminum
keywords: Hodgkin lymphoma; Leukemia; Lymphatic and hematopoietic neoplasms; Multiple myeloma; Non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Occupational exposure; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons