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Lung cancer risk among bricklayers in a pooled analysis of case–control studies
Author(s) -
Consonni Dario,
Matteis Sara De,
Pesatori Angela C.,
Bertazzi Pier Alberto,
Olsson Ann C.,
Kromhout Hans,
Peters Susan,
Vermeulen Roel C.H.,
Pesch Beate,
Brüning Thomas,
Kendzia Benjamin,
Behrens Thomas,
Stücker Isabelle,
Guida Florence,
Wichmann HeinzErich,
Brüske Irene,
Landi Maria Teresa,
Caporaso Neil E.,
Gustavsson Per,
Plato Nils,
Tse Lap Ah,
Yu Ignatius Taksun,
Jöckel KarlHeinz,
Ahrens Wolfgang,
Pohlabeln Hermann,
Merletti Franco,
Richiardi Lorenzo,
Simonato Lorenzo,
Forastiere Francesco,
Siemiatycki Jack,
Parent MarieÉlise,
Tardón Adonina,
Boffetta Paolo,
Zaridze David,
Chen Ying,
Field John K.,
't Mannetje Andrea,
Pearce Neil,
McLaughlin John,
Demers Paul,
Lissowska Jolanta,
SzeszeniaDabrowska Neonila,
Bencko Vladimir,
Foretova Lenka,
Janout Vladimir,
Rudnai Peter,
Fabiánová Eleonóra,
Stanescu Dumitru Rodica,
BuenodeMesquita H. Bas,
Schüz Joachim,
Straif Kurt
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.28986
Subject(s) - medicine , lung cancer , odds ratio , case control study , confidence interval , population , lung , adenocarcinoma , relative risk , carcinogen , cancer , asbestos , surgery , environmental health , biology , materials science , metallurgy , genetics
Bricklayers may be exposed to several lung carcinogens, including crystalline silica and asbestos. Previous studies that analyzed lung cancer risk among these workers had several study design limitations. We examined lung cancer risk among bricklayers within SYNERGY, a large international pooled analysis of case–control studies on lung cancer and the joint effects of occupational carcinogens. For men ever employed as bricklayers we estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for study center, age, lifetime smoking history and employment in occupations with exposures to known or suspected lung carcinogens. Among 15,608 cases and 18,531 controls, there were 695 cases and 469 controls who had ever worked as bricklayers (OR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.28–1.68). In studies using population controls the OR was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.32–1.81, 540/349 cases/controls), while it was 1.24 (95% CI: 0.93–1.64, 155/120 cases/controls) in hospital‐based studies. There was a clear positive trend with length of employment ( p < 0.001). The relative risk was higher for squamous (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.42–1.98, 309 cases) and small cell carcinomas (OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.44–2.20, 140 cases), than for adenocarcinoma (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.95–1.43, 150 cases) ( p ‐homogeneity: 0.0007). ORs were still elevated after additional adjustment for education and in analyses using blue collar workers as referents. This study provided robust evidence of increased lung cancer risk in bricklayers. Although non‐causal explanations cannot be completely ruled out, the association is plausible in view of the potential for exposure to several carcinogens, notably crystalline silica and to a lesser extent asbestos.