Patterns of Mortality in Pulp and Paper Workers

Solet, David; Zoloth, Stephen; Sullivan, Clare; Jewett, John Figgis; Michaels, David

doi:10.1097/00043764-198907000-00016

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The increased risk for lung cancer shown in the present study is in agreement with reports from other countries (7,28,29). We had no information on smoking habits, but the use of Axelson's method (25) showed that smoking habits could explain a risk excess of about 23%.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Cancer incidence among male pulp and paper workers in Norway

Langseth¹,

Andersen²

2000

Scand J Work Environ Health

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Objectives The study investigated cancer incidence among 23 718 male pulp and paper workers employed continuously for at least 1 year between 1920 and 1993 in Norway. Methods The name, date of birth, personal identification number, dates of hire and termination for all employment periods, specific department, and job categories were registered for each worker. Six subcohorts were established (sulfite mill, sulfate mill, paper mill, maintenance department, administrative staff and other departments). Data on the cohort were linked with data in the Norwegian Cancer Register. The follow-up period for cancer incidence, date of death, or emigration was from 1953 through 1993. Results An excess incidence of lung cancer was found among both short-and long-term employees [standardized incidence ratio (SIR) 1.5, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.13-2.03 and SIR 1.2, 95% CI 1.09-1.34, respectively], especially for workers with the longest latency (SIR 1.3,95% CI 1.08-1.44) and for sulfite mill workers (SIR 1.5,95% CI 1.09-1.99). The risk for pleural mesothelioma was also increased (SIR 2.4,95% CI 1.45-3.75), especially among maintenance workers. The results also showed an increased risk for malignant melanoma (SIR 1.3,95% CI 1.04-1.60), an unexpected finding. C O~C~U S~O~S Almost all the increased risk for lung cancer can be explained by a combination of smoking habits and asbestos use, although an effect of other work-related exposures (sulfur and chloride compounds, wood dust) cannot be excluded. Most of the cases of pleural mesothelioma occurred in departments where asbestos was used. There is no clear explanation for the excess of malignant melanoma, and the finding may be a chance occurrence.Key terms lung cancer, malignant melanoma, occupational cohort, pleural mesothelioma, pulp and paper mills.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Cancer incidence among male pulp and paper workers in Norway

Langseth¹,

Andersen²

2000

Scand J Work Environ Health

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“…Elevated risk has been reported for respiratory system cancers Solet et al, 1989], gastrointestinal cancers [Schwartz, 1988;Henneberger et al, 1989;Milham and Demers, 1984;Wingren et al, 1985], and lymphatic and hematopoietic malignancies [Schwartz, 1988;Solet et al, 1989;Henneberger et al, 1989]. A Swedish review pointed out that most studies have no specific exposure data.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cancer incidence among women in the Norwegian pulp and paper industry

Langseth

Andersen

1999

Am. J. Ind. Med.

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“…Cancer risks significantly associated with work duration and time from first employment of ≥15 years were observed for cancer of the pleura, kidney and brain in the total cohort, for kidney cancer among the kraft mill workers only, for Hodgkin's disease among the sulfite mill workers only, and for esophageal cancer among the workers ever employed in both kraft and sulfite mills. Epidemiologic studies specifically designed to investigate pulp and paper workers have mainly been mortality studies (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14), with only 3 reporting cancer incidence results (15)(16)(17). This report presents the cancer incidence outcomes of 28 278 members of the British Columbia pulp and paper cohort.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cohort cancer incidence among pulp and paper mill workers in British Columbia

Band¹,

Le²,

Fang³

et al. 2001

Scand J Work Environ Health

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cancer incidence among pulp and paper mill workers in British Columbia. Scand J Work Environ Health 2001;27(2):113-119.Objectives A study was conducted to investigate cancer risks in a cohort of pulp and paper workers. Methods All male workers with ≥1 years of employment in 14 pulp and paper mills in 1950-1992 were studied. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were used to compare the cancer incidence of the cohort with that of the Canadian male population. Record linkage with the National Cancer Registry was performed using the generalized iterative record linkage method.Results Altogether 1756 cancer cases were observed in the entire cohort. For ≥15 years of work, the entire cohort had significantly increased SIR values for pleural and prostate cancer and skin melanoma; there was also a significantly increased risk for skin melanoma among workers in the kraft process only, rectal cancer among workers in the sulfite process only, and stomach and prostate cancer and all leukemias combined among workers in both the kraft and sulfite processes. A separate analysis comparing workers in pulping and papermaking with those in the pulping process only did not reveal any difference in cancer risk and hence did not modify the results. The SIR values for skin melanoma were not significantly increased in a comparison using the British Columbia male population. Nine of 10 pleural cancers were mesotheliomas, which likely reflect past asbestos exposure. ConclusionsThe results suggest that long-term work in the pulp and paper industry is associated with excess risks of prostate and stomach cancers and all leukemias for work in both kraft and sulfite processes and of rectal cancer for work in the sulfite process only.

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Patterns of Mortality in Pulp and Paper Workers

Cited by 22 publications

References 9 publications

Cancer incidence among male pulp and paper workers in Norway

Cancer incidence among male pulp and paper workers in Norway

Cancer incidence among women in the Norwegian pulp and paper industry

Cohort cancer incidence among pulp and paper mill workers in British Columbia

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