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Cancer incidence and mortality in workers employed at a transformer manufacturing plant: Update to a cohort study
Author(s) -
Yassi Annalee,
Tate Robert B.,
Routledge Michael
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.10237
Subject(s) - medicine , cohort , incidence (geometry) , cohort study , environmental health , cancer incidence , epidemiology , emergency medicine , toxicology , biology , physics , optics
Background This study is an extension of a previously published analysis of cancer mortality in a transformer manufacturing plant where there had been extensive use of mineral oil transformer fluid. The objectives of the present study were to update the mortality analysis and include deaths for the past 6 years as well as to do an analysis of cancer incidence of the cohort. Methods A cohort of 2,222 males working at a transformer manufacturing plant between 1946 and 1975 was constructed. Using a classical historical cohort study design, cancer incidence and mortality were determined through record linkage with Canadian provincial and national registries. The rates of cancer incidence and mortality experienced by this cohort were compared to that of the Canadian male population. Results A statistically significant increased risk of developing and dying of pancreatic cancer was found but not an increase in overall cancer mortality. This was consistent with the previous report from this group. Interestingly, the cohort demonstrated a statistically significant risk of overall cancer incidence and specific increased incidence of gallbladder cancer. Conclusions This study contributes further evidence to the growing body of literature indicating the carcinogenic properties of mineral oils used in occupational settings, in particular those used prior to 1970s. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:58–62, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.