Cancer mortality in workers employed at a transformer manufacturing plant

Abstract

This study examined mortality to December 31, 1989 in a cohort of 2,222 males employed between 1947 and 1975 at a transformer manufacturing plant in Canada, where there had been extensive use of transformer fluid, some containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). A combined cohort list of 2,222 names was independently obtained from plant management and union officials. Mortality of 1,939 workers with known birthdates was ascertained by record linkage with the Canadian Mortality Data-base. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for different criteria for acceptance of the death certificate link and for cohort membership (based on work history) ranged from .71-1.05. There was no significant increase in overall cancer deaths. The only significant site-specific increased mortality was pancreatic cancer (11 deaths), with SMRs ranging from 2.92-7.64 and higher mortality risk in those who entered the cohort prior to 1960. All but one of these deaths had a latency period of at least 10 years, and greatest SMRs were found in departments with the greatest exposure to transformer fluid. Several previous studies have found excess pancreatic cancers in association with oil exposures and electrical equipment manufacturing. The need to further investigate pancreatic cancer in transformer manufacturing and related exposures is evident.

Concentrations of Organochlorines Related to Titers to Epstein-Barr Virus Early Antigen IgG as Risk Factors for Hairy Cell Leukemia

“…An increased risk for NHL has also been suggested for high consumers of fish from the Baltic Sea, which is contaminated by PCBs and other organochlorines (44). One study of male capacitor-manufacturing workers with PCB exposure found an increased risk for NHL (45); another study found no increased risk (46).…”

Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Biphenyls

“…Transformers were filled with PCBs, but the impregnation fluid was usually diluted with other chlorinated solvents (e.g. trichlorobenzene; , and sold under different names such as Askarel (Inerteen), Pyranol, Chlophen, Apirolio, and Derol (Kerns, 1975;Lees et al, 1987;Emmett et al, 1988;Kalina et al, 1991;Yassi et al, 1994;Altenkirch et al, 1996;Loomis et al, 1997;.…”

“…Duration of employment was used to assess exposure in most of these studies Bertazzi et al, 1982Bertazzi et al, , 1987Nicholson & Selikoff, 1987;De Guire et al, 1988;Taylor et al, 1988;Liss, 1989;Petruska & Engelhard, 1991;Tynes et al, 1994;Yassi et al, 1994Yassi et al, , 2003Savitz & Loomis, 1995;Tironi et al, 1996;Kimbrough et al, 1999Kimbrough et al, , 2003Loomis et al, 1997;Mallin et al, 2004;Prince et al, 2006a, b;Ruder et al, 2006;Ahrens et al, 2007;Hopf et al, 2009bHopf et al, , 2010Hopf et al, , 2014Pesatori et al, 2013). In the remaining studies, exposure to PCBs was assessed using a variety of approaches, including job-exposure matrices (JEM), development of worker's exposure zones, and measurement of serum PCB concentrations.…”

“…Studies of cancer mortality and incidence among workers exposed to PCBs in the manufacture or repair of transformers have been conducted in Canada (Yassi et al, 1994(Yassi et al, , 2003, Italy , and the USA Table 2.2).…”

“…Cancer incidence and mortality until 1995 were studied in a cohort of 2222 men working between 1946 and 1975 at a transformer-manufacturing plant in Manitoba, Canada, where PCBs (Askarels) were used from 1956 to fill large transformers (mineral oils were used in other Yassi et al(1994Yassi et al( , 2003, Manitoba, Canada, 1946-19951950-19951969-1995 transformers) (Yassi et al, 2003). The mortality study showed an increased risk of mortality for cancer of the digestive tract, particularly cancers of the stomach and pancreas, among workers in the transformer-assembly department.…”