Pharyngeal cancer mortality among chemical plant workers exposed to formaldehyde

Marsh, Gary M.; Youk, Ada O.; Buchanich, Jeanine M.; Cassidy, Laura D.; Lucas, Lorraine J.; Esmen, Nurtan A.; Gathuru, Irene M

doi:10.1191/0748233702th149oa

Cited by 35 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…Compared with the general U.S. population, these workers experienced a significant excess of NPC mortality (220,223), with significant dose-response trends according to estimated peak exposure and cumulative exposure to formaldehyde, but not average intensity or duration of exposure (223). However, the positive association was driven by the findings in a single plant in Connecticut where five of the nine observed NPC deaths occurred (224)(225)(226)(227)(228), whereas there was no excess NPC mortality among workers in the other nine facilities (227,228). Because most of the NPC cases had a short duration and low average intensity of exposure to formaldehyde (225,226), occupational or nonoccupational exposures other than formaldehyde may have been responsible for excess of NPC mortality among the workers in Connecticut.…”

Section: Risk Factorscontrasting

confidence: 49%

“…However, the positive association was driven by the findings in a single plant in Connecticut where five of the nine observed NPC deaths occurred (224)(225)(226)(227)(228), whereas there was no excess NPC mortality among workers in the other nine facilities (227,228). Because most of the NPC cases had a short duration and low average intensity of exposure to formaldehyde (225,226), occupational or nonoccupational exposures other than formaldehyde may have been responsible for excess of NPC mortality among the workers in Connecticut.…”

Section: Risk Factorsmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…A metaanalysis of 47 available studies a decade ago did not support a causal association between formaldehyde and NPC risk (218), but a more recent evaluation by the IARC did find sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity (219). The study population most extensively examined for a relationship between formaldehyde exposure and NPC is a historical cohort of >25,000 workers employed before 1966 in 10 U.S. facilities that produced or used formaldehyde (220)(221)(222)(223)(224)(225)(226)(227)(228). Compared with the general U.S. population, these workers experienced a significant excess of NPC mortality (220,223), with significant dose-response trends according to estimated peak exposure and cumulative exposure to formaldehyde, but not average intensity or duration of exposure (223).…”

Section: Risk Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Enigmatic Epidemiology of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Chang

Adami

2006

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &Amp; Prevention

1,145

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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has a unique and complex etiology that is not completely understood. Although NPC is rare in most populations, it is a leading form of cancer in a few well-defined populations, including natives of southern China, Southeast Asia, the Arctic, and the Middle East/North Africa. The distinctive racial/ethnic and geographic distribution of NPC worldwide suggests that both environmental factors and genetic traits contribute to its development. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the epidemiology of NPC and to propose new avenues of research that could help illuminate the causes and ultimately the prevention of this remarkable disease. Well-established risk factors for NPC include elevated antibody titers against the Epstein-Barr virus, consumption of salt-preserved fish, a family history of NPC, and certain human leukocyte antigen class I genotypes. Consumption of other preserved foods, tobacco smoking, and a history of chronic respiratory tract conditions may be associated with elevated NPC risk, whereas consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and other human leukocyte antigen genotypes may be associated with decreased risk. Evidence for a causal role of various inhalants, herbal medicines, and occupational exposures is inconsistent. Other than dietary modification, no concrete preventive measures for NPC exist. Given the unresolved gaps in understanding of NPC, there is a clear need for large-scale, populationbased molecular epidemiologic studies to elucidate how environmental, viral, and genetic factors interact in both the development and the prevention of this disease. PurposeIntriguing hallmarks of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) include its striking racial/ethnic and geographic variation, as well as its multifactorial etiology involving the interplay of environmental, viral, and genetic risk factors. The precise roles of these factors in the development of NPC, however, remain unknown. The purpose of this review is to highlight what is understood about the epidemiology of NPC, as well as to present unresolved research questions that call for large-scale molecular epidemiologic studies of NPC to illuminate the underlying causes of this fascinating disease. Review MethodsA thorough review of the literature related to the etiology of NPC was undertaken, starting with a Medline search from 1966 onward. Additional papers, book sections, and monographs were identified through examination of reference lists. Because this review aims to present the epidemiologic evidence in a range of topic areas, rather than to calculate overall estimates of effect, formal quantitative methods were not used. All relevant papers have been cited to provide a comprehensive summary of the evidence. Inclusion or exclusion criteria were not applied to individual reports, but the strength, consistency, and relevance of the findings were considered in weighing the evidence.Descriptive Epidemiology

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Section: Risk Factorscontrasting

confidence: 49%

Section: Risk Factorsmentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Risk Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Enigmatic Epidemiology of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Chang

Adami

2006

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &Amp; Prevention

1,145

1,009

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“…• Three large independent occupational cohorts: the British-Medical Research Council (MRC) (Coggon et al 2003), the US-NIOSH (Pinkerton et al 2004) and the US-National Cancer Institute (NCI) (Marsh et al 1996(Marsh et al , 2002Hauptmann et al 2004). Two studies re-analysed the data of Hauptmann et al (2004) Youk 2005, 2007) (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Carcinogenic potential of formaldehyde in occupational settings: a critical assessment and possible impact on occupational exposure levels

Duhayon

Hoet

Maele-Fabry

et al. 2007

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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“…The Hauptmann study, along with earlier analyses of this NCI cohort, identifies one particular plant -the Wallingford Plant -as the source of the majority of the nasopharyngeal cancer cases. This triggered a separate analysis of the Wallingford Plant cohort, the mortality experience of which has been most recently updated by Marsh et al (2002).…”

Section: Argumentmentioning

confidence: 99%