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Cancer mortality and exposure to nickel and chromium compounds in a cohort of Italian electroplaters
Author(s) -
Sciannameo Veronica,
Ricceri Fulvio,
Soldati Simona,
Scarnato Corrado,
Gerosa Alberto,
Giacomozzi Giuseppe,
d'Errico Angelo
Publication year - 2019
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.22941
Subject(s) - medicine , lung cancer , chromium , cancer , cohort , carcinogen , cohort study , standardized mortality ratio , toxicology , metallurgy , biology , materials science , genetics
Background Nickel and chromium‐VI compounds are carcinogens for lung cancer, although it is still debated if there is an increased risk at low levels of exposure and for other cancers. Methods In a cohort of 2991 Italian electroplaters, a proportion of whom were exposed to low levels of nickel and/or chromium, cumulative exposure to their compounds was obtained by multiplying average concentrations of the metals in each electroplating tank by duration of employment in the company. The association of exposure to compounds with mortality was assessed by multivariable Cox models. Results No cancer site was associated with chromium exposure controlling for nickel, whereas exposure to nickel significantly increased mortality from lung, rectal, and kidney cancers, even after adjusting for exposure to chromium. Conclusions Study results suggest that exposure to nickel compounds may increase the risk of lung cancer even below its occupational exposure limit and indicate possible associations with other cancer sites.