Metal workers and repairmen at risk for prostate cancer: A review

Gulden, J.W.J. van der

doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19970201)30:2<107::aid-pros6>3.0.co;2-l

Cited by 26 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 65 publications

(77 reference statements)

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“…The evidence reviewed (92,93,94) indicates that nonoccupational life-style and dietary factors have not been consistently associated with prostate cancer. A slightly elevated risk has been found for metal workers (95) and farmers and other agricultural workers (96)(97)(98)(99)(100)(101). Of the occupational risk factors, cadmium compounds (48,102) and herbicides (RR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.8) (103) have been linked with an excess risk of prostate cancer.…”

Section: Criteria Used For Selecting the Studiescontrasting

confidence: 64%

Epidemiologic estimate of the proportion of fatalities related to occupational factors in Finland

Nurminen¹,

Karjalainen²

2001

Scand J Work Environ Health

260

202

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Objectives This study attempts to estimate the proportion of annual deaths related to occupational factors in Finland and considers related methodological issues and associated uncertainties.Methods Statistics on causes of death, numbers of subjects exposed, and risk ratios obtained from the epidemiologic literature were used to estimate the population attributable fraction and disease burden for causes of death from work-related diseases. Gender-, age-and disease-specific numbers of deaths were provided by Statistics Finland for 1996. Information on the size of the population, broken down by gender, age, occupation, and industry, was acquired from population censuses. A Finnish job-exposure matrix supplied data on the prevalence of exposure for specific agents and the level of exposure among exposed workers. ResultsThe attributable fraction of work-related mortality in the relevant disease and age categories was estimated to be 7% (10% for men and 2% for women), and for all diseases and ages the fraction was 4%. For the main cause-of-death categories, the attributable fraction became 12% for circulatory system diseases, 8% for malignant neoplasms, 4% for respiratory system diseases, 4% for mental disorders, 3% for nervous system diseases, and 3% for accidents and violence. The following estimates were obtained for specific important diseases: 24% for lung cancer, 17% for ischemic heart disease, 12% for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 11% for stroke. Based on these fractions, the total number of work-related deaths that occurred in Finland in 1996 was calculated to be on the order of 1800 (employed work force of 2.1 million); 86% involved men.Conclusions High-quality epidemiologic studies and national survey data are essential for obtaining reliable estimates of the proportion of deaths attributable to occupational factors. The magnitude of work-related mortality is an insufficiently recognized contributor to total mortality in Finland, especially from circulatory diseases and other diseases caused by exposure to agents other than asbestos.Key terms attributable fraction, burden of disease, epidemiologic methods, health statistics, occupational exposure. Global estimates of the burden of disease due to occupational factors have been calculated through the application of Finnish rates of registered work-related diseases (1). The approach is subject to the following two fundamental uncertainties: (i) the validity of the data on disease incidence from the national reporting scheme and (ii) the validity of worldwide extrapolations to different regions with different exposure circumstances. With the exception of studies using workers' compensation records, only a few research projects have estimated the magnitude of morbidity or mortality induced by exposure to hazardous agents or stress factors in the work environment at a state or national level. The investigations conducted in this area have covered New York State (2), the whole of the United States (3), Canada (4), and Australia (5). Given the lack of ...

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Section: Criteria Used For Selecting the Studiescontrasting

confidence: 64%

Epidemiologic estimate of the proportion of fatalities related to occupational factors in Finland

Nurminen¹,

Karjalainen²

2001

Scand J Work Environ Health

260

202

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“…Therefore, our results will be compared with other studies. Reviews on this topic are rare and are all about farmers, 16 -19,21 mechanics and metal workers, 22 or rubber workers 20 Both narrative and systematic reviews have questioned increased prostate cancer risk for farmers. 16 -19,21 Although previously reported increased risks were statistically significant, they appeared to be small and therefore clinically irrelevant.…”

Section: Previous Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One review on this topic concluded that mechanics and metal workers possibly run a slightly elevated risk. 22 A problem with mechanics, and even more for metal workers, is the wide range of occupations within these definitions and consequently the exposure to many different possible risk factors as metals, metallic compounds, chemicals, and oils. Job titles alone are poor indicators of specific chemical exposures.…”

Section: Previous Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Job titles alone are poor indicators of specific chemical exposures. Although for welding fumes, no association or even a decreased risk for prostate cancer have been reported, 22,25,46,47 we found a moderate, nonsignificant risk for men who worked as a welder. Two other studies 38,48 also reported an increased risk, although others could not confirm these findings.…”

Section: Previous Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Prospective Study of Occupation and Prostate Cancer Risk

Zeegers

Friesema

Goldbohm

et al. 2004

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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A wide variety of occupations has been associated with prostate cancer in previous retrospective studies. Most attention has been paid to farming, metal working, and the rubber industry. Today, these results cannot be affirmed with confidence, because many associations could be influenced by recall bias, have been inconsistent, or have not been confirmed satisfactory in subsequent studies. This study was conducted to investigate and confirm these important associations in a large prospective cohort study. The authors conducted a prospective cohort study among 58,279 men. In September 1986, the cohort members (55-69 years) completed a self-administered questionnaire on potential cancer risk factors, including job history. Related job codes were clustered in professional groups. These predefined clusters were investigated in 3 time windows: 1) profession ever performed, 2) longest profession ever held, and 3) last profession held at baseline. Follow up for incident prostate cancer was established by linkage to cancer registries until December 1993. A case-cohort approach was used based on 830 cases and 1525 subcohort members. To minimize false-positive results, 99% confidence intervals (99% CI) were calculated. Although moderately decreased prostate cancer risks were found for electricians, farmers, firefighters, woodworkers, textile workers, butchers, salesmen, teachers, and clerical workers, none of the relative risks (RR) were found to be statistically significant. For road transporters, metal workers, and managers, no association with prostate cancer risk was found. Although the RR for railway workers, mechanics, welders, chemists, painters, and cooks was moderately increased, these estimates were not statistically significant. For men who reported to have ever worked in the rubber industry, we found a substantially increased prostate cancer risk, but not statistically significant (RR, 4.18; 99% CI = 0.22-80.45). For policemen, we found a substantial and marginally statistically significant increased prostate cancer risk, especially for those who reported working as a policeman for most of their occupational life (RR, 3.91; 99% CI = 1.14-13.42) or as the last profession held at baseline (RR, 4.00; 99% CI = 1.19-13.37). Most of the previously investigated associations between occupation and prostate cancer risk could not be confirmed with confidence in this prospective study. The lack of statistical significance for rubber workers could be caused by the scarcity of rubber workers in this cohort and subsequent lack of power. The results for policemen were substantial and statistically significant, although a conservative value for significance level was used.

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“…Deux études cas-témoins en population générale ont évalué le risque associé au cadmium via l'alimentation, par questionnaire ou par dosage du cadmium dans les ongles, et aucun lien significatif n'a pu être établi pour le cancer de la prostate [51,52]. Outre le cadmium, plusieurs études ont évoqué, indirectement, un risque éventuel de cancer de la prostate à d'autres métaux, en suggérant une augmentation de risque chez des travailleurs de l'industrie des métaux [53]. Mais à ce jour, seule une étude sur des effectifs réduits a rapporté des concentrations plasmatiques plus élevées en nickel, cuivre et en cobalt chez 21 patients avec un cancer de la prostate et comparés à 21 témoins [54].…”

Section: Cadmium Et Autres Métaux Tracesunclassified