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Lamouroux C, Brochet L, Zrounba P, Charbotel B, Fervers B. Gingiva squamous-cell carcinoma in a non-smoking patient with occupational exposure to solvent siphoning using mouth: case report and literature review. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1370767. [PMID: 38756897 PMCID: PMC11098034 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1370767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background While overall head and neck cancer incidence decreases due to reduced tobacco and alcohol consumption, the incidence of HPV negative oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is raising in several industrialized countries, especially in non-smoking and non-drinking patients. Case presentation We document a case of gingiva SCC in a 56 years old never-smoker patient reporting low alcohol consumption and unusual occupational solvent exposure. The HPV-negative lesion was surgically removed in 2018, and the patient remains in complete remission 4 years after recurrent surgery in 2019. In 2021, the patient was referred to the occupational cancer consultation. The patient worked as screen printer for 18 years. He reported mouth siphoning every 2-3 days to transfer organic solvents (mainly aromatic hydrocarbons and ketones) from containers into smaller recipients, with regular passage of solvents into his mouth. Conclusion According to the literature, the frequency of solvent siphoning using mouth is likely to be underestimated. While our review did not find studies reporting longterm consequences to the oral cavity of mouth siphoning, current evidence supports a positive association of upper aero digestive tract SCC with occupational exposures to organic solvents and printing processes. In absence of major extraprofessional factors, the HPV-negative gingiva SCC of this patient might be attributable to the regular occupational oral solvent exposure. While the available evidence remains limited to formally establish a causal relationship, clinicians should investigate this hazardous work practice in patients with OSCC and history of solvent exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Lamouroux
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Université Gustave Eiffel-IFSTTAR, UMRESTTE, UMR T 9405, Domaine Rockefeller, Lyon, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, CRPPE-Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Louis Brochet
- Surgical Oncology Department, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | | | - Barbara Charbotel
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Université Gustave Eiffel-IFSTTAR, UMRESTTE, UMR T 9405, Domaine Rockefeller, Lyon, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, CRPPE-Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France
| | - Béatrice Fervers
- Department Prevention Cancer Environment, Centre Léon Bérard, U1296 INSERM Radiation, Defense, Health and Environment, Lyon, France
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Underhill V, Fiuza A, Allison G, Poudrier G, Lerman-Sinkoff S, Vera L, Wylie S. Outcomes of the Halliburton Loophole: Chemicals regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act in US fracking disclosures, 2014-2021. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 322:120552. [PMID: 36368552 PMCID: PMC10187986 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has enabled the United States to lead the world in gas and oil production over the past decade; 17.6 million Americans now live within a mile of an oil or gas well (Czolowski et al., 2017). This major expansion in fossil fuel production is possible in part due to the 2005 Energy Policy Act and its "Halliburton Loophole," which exempts fracking activity from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). To begin quantifying the environmental and economic impacts of this loophole, this study undertakes an aggregate analysis of chemicals that would otherwise be regulated by SDWA within FracFocus, an industry-sponsored fracking disclosure database. This paper quantifies the total disclosures and total mass of these chemicals used between 2014 and 2021, examines trends in their use, and investigates which companies most use and supply them. We find that 28 SDWA-regulated chemicals are reported in FracFocus, and 62-73% of all disclosures (depending on year) report at least one SDWA-regulated chemical. Of these, 19,700 disclosures report using SDWA-regulated chemicals in masses that exceed their reportable quantities as defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Finally, while the most common direct-supplier category is "company name not reported," Halliburton is the second-most named direct supplier of SWDA regulated chemicals. Halliburton is also the supplier most frequently associated with fracks that use SDWA regulated chemicals. These results show the necessity of a more robust and federally mandated disclosure system and suggest the importance of revisiting exemptions such as the Halliburton Loophole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Underhill
- Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, Northeastern University, USA.
| | - Angelica Fiuza
- Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, USA
| | | | - Grace Poudrier
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Northeastern University, USA
| | | | - Lourdes Vera
- Department of Sociology and Department of Environment and Sustainability, University at Buffalo, USA
| | - Sara Wylie
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology and Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, USA
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Jung K, Khan A, Mocharnuk R, Olivo-Marston S, McDaniel JT. Clinical encounter with three cancer patients affected by groundwater contamination at Camp Lejeune: a case series and review of the literature. J Med Case Rep 2022; 16:272. [PMID: 35818079 PMCID: PMC9275133 DOI: 10.1186/s13256-022-03501-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Advanced understanding of tumor biology has recently revealed the complexity of cancer genetics, intra/inter-tumor heterogeneity, and diverse mechanisms of resistance to cancer treatment. In turn, there has been a growing interest in cancer prevention and minimizing exposure to potential environmental carcinogens that surround us. In the 1980s, several chemical carcinogens, including perchloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and benzene, were detected in water systems supplying Camp Lejeune, a US Marine Corps Base Camp located in North Carolina. Case presentation This article presents three cases of cancer patients who have lived at Camp Lejeune, and, decades later, came to our clinic located 1000 miles from the original exposure site. The first patient is a young Caucasian man who was diagnosed with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 37, and the second patient is a Caucasian man who had multiple types of cancer in the prostate, lung, and colon as well as chronic lymphocytic leukemia in his 60s and 70s. The third patient is another Caucasian man who had recurrent skin cancers of different histology, namely basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and melanoma, from his 50s to 70s. Conclusions The US Congress passed the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act in 2012, which covers appropriate medical care for the people affected by the contamination. We hope that this article raises awareness about the history of Camp Lejeune’s water contamination among cancer care providers, so the affected patients can receive appropriate medical coverage and cancer screening across the country. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13256-022-03501-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungsuk Jung
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, 315 W Carpenter St Clinic B, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA.
| | - Aziz Khan
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, 315 W Carpenter St Clinic B, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Robert Mocharnuk
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, 315 W Carpenter St Clinic B, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Susan Olivo-Marston
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL, USA
| | - Justin T McDaniel
- School of Human Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
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A clandestine culprit with critical consequences: Benzene and acute myeloid leukemia. Blood Rev 2020; 47:100736. [PMID: 32771228 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2020.100736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
While most clinicians recognize adult therapy-related leukemias following cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiation, environmental regulatory agencies evaluate exposure to "safe levels" of leukemogenic compounds. Benzene represents the most notorious leukemogenic chemical. Used in the production of ubiquitous items such as plastics, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, and pesticides, benzene may be responsible for the higher risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) among automobile, janitorial, construction, and agricultural workers. It is possible that ambient benzene may contribute to many cases of "de novo" AML not arising out of germline predispositions. In this appraisal of the available literature, we evaluate and discuss the association between chronic, low-dose and ambient exposure to environmental benzene and the development of adult AML.
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Santos ASE, Martins AAF, Simões Gonçalves E, Meyer A. Mortality from Selected Cancers among Brazilian Mechanics. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2020; 21:1779-1786. [PMID: 32592378 PMCID: PMC7568884 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2020.21.6.1779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Mechanics are exposed to known human carcinogens. This study aimed to compare mortality from selected cancers between male mechanics and the general population of the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. Methods: Data on deaths, occurred between 2006-2017, among male mechanics and the general population, were obtained from the Mortality Information System. Occupations were classified using the Brazilian Classification of Occupations. Mortality Odds Ratio (MOR) and confidence intervals (95%) for selected cancers among mechanics, stratified by age (30-49, 50-69 years), race, and education compared to the general population, were estimated using logistic regression models. Results: In general, mechanics showed higher mortality from oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, lung and bladder cancers, but lower mortality for all leukemias. Oropharynx and larynx cancer mortality risk was slightly higher among older mechanics, while hypopharynx cancer mortality was more noticeable among the youngest. Lower mortality from all leukemias was observed only among younger mechanics. Mortality by oropharynx and larynx cancers were higher among white mechanics. They were also the only ones to experience higher mortality by hypopharynx cancer, while lung cancer mortality were increased only among non-white ones. Mechanics of all educational levels were more likely to die by the oropharynx cancer. Those with 1-7 and 8 or more years of schooling also showed excess of death by the cancers of larynx and all leukemias. Significantly higher mortality by pancreas cancer was only observed among mechanics with no education, while those with 1-7 years of schooling showed higher risk to die by lung and bladder cancers. Those with 8 or more years of schooling show increased mortality risk for hypopharynx cancer. Increased mortality risk for myeloid leukemia was only observed when stratified by region of residence. Conclusion: Results of our study suggest a positive association between mechanic occupation and some specific cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Souza Espindola Santos
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amanda Alzira Friaes Martins
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eline Simões Gonçalves
- Center for Studies on Workers' Health and Human Ecology, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Armando Meyer
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Kopstein M. Critique of the IARC 100F Working Group Evaluation of Occupational Benzene Exposure: Suggestions for the October 2017 Benzene-Only Working Group Meeting. New Solut 2017; 28:10-23. [PMID: 28920763 DOI: 10.1177/1048291117732735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Health agencies and institutions utilize International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) monographs because they are said to represent authoritative cancer evaluations and scientific references. The United States National Cancer Institute has provided support for the IARC Monographs Program for more than three decades. The Volume 100F Monograph, which was published in 2012, reports the evaluations of benzene and more than two dozen other agents performed by the IARC Working Group (WG) that met in Lyon, France from 20 to 27 October 2009. All had already been judged to be human carcinogens. This commentary discusses errors in the occupational exposure section (1.1.3) of the 100F Benzene Monograph ("monograph"). Millions of workers in developed and developing countries have long been known to be routinely exposed to benzene. Since exposures may exceed occupational exposure limits, the hope is that this commentary will be considered by the IARC benzene-only WG at its meeting in October 2017.
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‘t Mannetje A, De Roos AJ, Boffetta P, Vermeulen R, Benke G, Fritschi L, Brennan P, Foretova L, Maynadié M, Becker N, Nieters A, Staines A, Campagna M, Chiu B, Clavel J, de Sanjose S, Hartge P, Holly EA, Bracci P, Linet MS, Monnereau A, Orsi L, Purdue MP, Rothman N, Lan Q, Kane E, Costantini AS, Miligi L, Spinelli JJ, Zheng T, Cocco P, Kricker A. Occupation and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Its Subtypes: A Pooled Analysis from the InterLymph Consortium. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:396-405. [PMID: 26340796 PMCID: PMC4829988 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1409294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Various occupations have been associated with an elevated risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but results have been inconsistent across studies. OBJECTIVES We investigated occupational risk of NHL and of four common NHL subtypes with particular focus on occupations of a priori interest. METHODS We conducted a pooled analysis of 10,046 cases and 12,025 controls from 10 NHL studies participating in the InterLymph Consortium. We harmonized the occupational coding using the 1968 International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-1968) and grouped occupations previously associated with NHL into 25 a priori groups. Odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for center, age, and sex were determined for NHL overall and for the following four subtypes: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). RESULTS We confirmed previously reported positive associations between NHL and farming occupations [field crop/vegetable farm workers OR = 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.51; general farm workers OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.37]; we also confirmed associations of NHL with specific occupations such as women's hairdressers (OR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.74), charworkers/cleaners (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.36), spray-painters (OR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.30, 3.29), electrical wiremen (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.54), and carpenters (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.93). We observed subtype-specific associations for DLBCL and CLL/SLL in women's hairdressers and for DLBCL and PTCL in textile workers. CONCLUSIONS Our pooled analysis of 10 international studies adds to evidence suggesting that farming, hairdressing, and textile industry-related exposures may contribute to NHL risk. Associations with women's hairdresser and textile occupations may be specific for certain NHL subtypes. CITATION 't Mannetje A, De Roos AJ, Boffetta P, Vermeulen R, Benke G, Fritschi L, Brennan P, Foretova L, Maynadié M, Becker N, Nieters A, Staines A, Campagna M, Chiu B, Clavel J, de Sanjose S, Hartge P, Holly EA, Bracci P, Linet MS, Monnereau A, Orsi L, Purdue MP, Rothman N, Lan Q, Kane E, Seniori Costantini A, Miligi L, Spinelli JJ, Zheng T, Cocco P, Kricker A. 2016. Occupation and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and its subtypes: a pooled analysis from the InterLymph Consortium. Environ Health Perspect 124:396-405; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409294.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea ‘t Mannetje
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington Campus, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anneclaire J. De Roos
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Paolo Boffetta
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Geza Benke
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lin Fritschi
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Paul Brennan
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Lenka Foretova
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marc Maynadié
- Biological Hematology Unit, University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
| | - Nikolaus Becker
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Nieters
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anthony Staines
- School of Nursing and Human Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marcello Campagna
- Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Brian Chiu
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Jacqueline Clavel
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Center (CRESS), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Villejuif, France
- French National Registry of Childhood Hematological Malignancies (NRCH), Villejuif, France
| | - Silvia de Sanjose
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology–Spain Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patricia Hartge
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Holly
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Paige Bracci
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martha S. Linet
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Alain Monnereau
- Centre d’investigation clinique (CIC), INSERM, Bordeaux, France
- Registre des Hémopathies Malignes de la Gironde, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France
| | - Laurent Orsi
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Center (CRESS), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Villejuif, France
| | - Mark P. Purdue
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nathaniel Rothman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Qing Lan
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eleanor Kane
- Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdon
| | - Adele Seniori Costantini
- Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, ISPO Cancer Research and Prevention Institute, Florence, Italy
| | - Lucia Miligi
- Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, ISPO Cancer Research and Prevention Institute, Florence, Italy
| | - John J. Spinelli
- Cancer Control Research, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tongzhang Zheng
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Pierluigi Cocco
- Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Anne Kricker
- Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Strand LA, Martinsen JI, Borud EK. Cancer incidence and all-cause mortality in a cohort of 21582 Norwegian military peacekeepers deployed to Lebanon during 1978–1998. Cancer Epidemiol 2015; 39:571-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2015.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Peckham T, Kopstein M, Klein J, Dahlgren J. Benzene-contaminated toluene and acute myeloid leukemia: a case series and review of literature. Toxicol Ind Health 2012; 30:73-81. [PMID: 22740617 DOI: 10.1177/0748233712451764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
We report seven cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with occupational exposure to a toluene-based hydrocarbon solvent. The cases were employed at a facility, which manufactured rubber belts and hoses, between 1950 and 2005 for periods ranging from 21 to 37 total years. Detailed histories were obtained for three workers who were diagnosed with AML within a 3-year period (2003-2005). Death certificates, medical records, and accounts by workers were reviewed. Benzene, a known cause of AML, is typically a contaminant of toluene. Benzene contamination in toluene and other widely used solvents and the potential for concurrent benzene exposure during usage of these solvents in occupational settings are discussed.
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Unice KM, Paustenbach DJ. Comment on benzene exposure ratio method. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2011; 8:D139-D148. [PMID: 22087643 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2011.628611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
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Kopstein M. Estimating airborne benzene exposures from air monitoring data for mineral spirits. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2011; 8:300-309. [PMID: 21476170 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2011.569311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
"Low aromatics" vs. "regular" mineral spirits differ substantially in their aromatic hydrocarbon content. Mineral spirits contain benzene and other compounds that boil at temperatures below the cited boiling point range of 300 ° to 415 °F. Available published information shows that until at least 2000, the benzene content of regular mineral spirits was typically 0.1% wt/wt and at times could have been 1.0% wt/wt. The present analysis accounts for benzene's higher volatility compared to mineral spirits as a whole and applies thermodynamic principles to estimate benzene vapor exposure as a subset of measured exposure to total hydrocarbons generated by the evaporation of mineral spirits. For a scenario in which the bulk mineral spirits only partially evaporate, this analysis explains the error in assuming that the mole fraction of benzene to "everything else" is the same in the vapor and liquid phases. It is shown that for a given concentration of total hydrocarbon vapor, the benzene vapor concentration can be more than 65-fold greater during mineral spirits evaporation compared to after all the mineral spirits has evaporated. In turn, it is reasonable to expect that during the use of regular mineral spirits, containing benzene typically at 0.1% wt/wt (as applies to usage prior to 2000), benzene vapor exposures could have exceeded 1 ppm even though the mineral spirits vapor exposure did not exceed 100 ppm, the ACGIH® TLV® time-weighted average (TWA) value for mineral spirits. The same analysis can be applied to current petrochemical products, such as toluene, that contain benzene and for which the required physico-chemical information is available. The analysis provides evidence that the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for a petrochemical product containing benzene at less than 0.1% wt/wt should, pursuant to Hazard Communication Standard requirements, identify the benzene as a hazardous ingredient.
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Keenan J, Gaffney S, Galbraith D, Beatty P, Paustenbach D. Gasoline: A complex chemical mixture, or a dangerous vehicle for benzene exposure? Chem Biol Interact 2010; 184:293-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2010.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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13
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Smith B, Cadby P, DiNovi M, Setzer RW. Application of the Margin of Exposure (MoE) approach to substances in food that are genotoxic and carcinogenic. Food Chem Toxicol 2010; 48 Suppl 1:S49-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2009.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2009] [Revised: 09/07/2009] [Accepted: 10/12/2009] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Wilbur S, Wohlers D, Paikoff S, Keith LS, Faroon O. ATSDR evaluation of health effects of benzene and relevance to public health. Toxicol Ind Health 2009; 24:263-398. [PMID: 19022880 DOI: 10.1177/0748233708090910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
As part of its mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepares toxicological profiles on hazardous chemicals found at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) sites that have the greatest public health impact. These profiles comprehensively summarize toxicological and environmental information. This article constitutes the release of portions of the Toxicological Profile for Benzene. The primary purpose of this article is to provide public health officials, physicians, toxicologists, and other interested individuals and groups with an overall perspective on the toxicology of benzene. It contains descriptions and evaluations of toxicological studies and epidemiological investigations and provides conclusions, where possible, on the relevance of toxicity and toxicokinetic data to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Wilbur
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
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15
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Jamall IS, Willhite CC. Is benzene exposure from gasoline carcinogenic? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 10:176-87. [DOI: 10.1039/b712987d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Abstract
A large population of humans is exposed to benzene from various occupational and environmental sources. Benzene is an established human and animal carcinogen. Exposure to benzene has been associated with leukaemia in humans and several types of malignancies in animals. The exact mechanism of benzene-induced toxicity is poorly understood. It is believed that benzene exerts its adverse effects by metabolic activation to toxic metabolites. Certain benzene metabolites are genotoxic and mutagenic. This consolidated short-review is composed of human and animal studies to summarize the adverse effects of benzene with special reference to molecular mechanisms involved in benzene-induced toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haseeb Ahmad Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Kirrane E, Loomis D, Egeghy P, Nylander-French L. Personal exposure to benzene from fuel emissions among commercial fishers: comparison of two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2007; 17:151-8. [PMID: 16736060 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jes.7500487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Commercial fishers are exposed to unburned hydrocarbon vapors and combustion products present in the emissions from their boat engines. The objective of this study was to measure personal exposure to benzene as a marker of fuel exposure, and to predict exposure levels across categories of carbureted two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines. A self-monitoring approach, employing passive monitors, was used to obtain measurements of personal exposure to benzene over time. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to predict exposure levels, identify significant effects and determine restricted maximum likelihood estimates for within- and between-person variance components. Significant fixed effects for engine type and refueling a car or truck were identified. After controlling for refueling, predicted benzene exposure levels to fishers on boats equipped with two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines were 58.4, 38.9 and 15.7 microg/m3, respectively. The logged within-person variance component was 1.43, larger than the between-person variance component of 1.13, indicating that the total variation may be attributable to monitor placement, environmental conditions and other factors that change over time as well as differences between individual work practices. The health consequences of exposure to marine engine emissions are not known. The predicted levels are well below those at which health effects have been attributed, however.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Kirrane
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194, USA.
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18
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Fukuda Y, Futatsuka M. Mortality in a Cohort of Patients with Vibration Syndrome in Japan. J Occup Health 2006. [DOI: 10.1539/joh.42.245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiharu Fukuda
- Health Promotion, Department of International Health Development, Division of Public HealthGraduate School of Tokyo Medical and Dental University
| | - Makoto Futatsuka
- Department of Public HealthKumamoto University School of Medicine
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19
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Lee CW, Dai YT, Chien CH, Hsu DJ. Characteristics and health impacts of volatile organic compounds in photocopy centers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2006; 100:139-49. [PMID: 16045905 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2005.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2004] [Revised: 05/13/2005] [Accepted: 05/19/2005] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the indoor air quality of typical photocopy centers in Taiwan to evaluate the human health risk following inhalation exposure. Both personal and area samplings were conducted at seven photocopy centers in the Tainan area from July 2002 to March 2003, which covered both summer and winter seasons in Taiwan. The benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and styrene (BTEXS) measurements indicated no difference between personal and area samplings (P>0.05) and found that air conditioning improves indoor air quality. The additive factor at each photocopy center was significantly below 1.0, based on the current BTEXS permissible exposure limits in Taiwan. However, the mean benzene and styrene levels in the current study were 138 and 18 times, respectively, higher than those in another study conducted in the United States. Comparison of mass ratios of BTEXS with those of several chamber studies revealed that the photocopier is not the only volatile organic compound (VOC) source in photocopy centers. The lifetime cancer and noncancer risks for workers exposed to VOCs were also assessed. Results show that all seven centers in this study had a lifetime cancer risk exceeding 1x10(-6) (ranging from 2.5x10(-3) to 8.5x10(-5)). Regarding noncancer risk, levels of toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and styrene were below the reference levels in all photocopy centers; however, the hazard indices for all still exceeded 1.0 (range 26.2-1.8) because of the high level of benzene in the photocopy centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wei Lee
- Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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20
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Descatha A, Jenabian A, Conso F, Ameille J. Occupational exposures and haematological malignancies: overview on human recent data. Cancer Causes Control 2006; 16:939-53. [PMID: 16132803 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-005-2301-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2004] [Accepted: 02/15/2005] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Occupational causes of haematological malignancies are relatively uncommon, under-studied and under-identified. They are also often unrecognized by clinicians. This review summarizes the principal epidemiologic studies on this topic. METHODS We analyzed the recent relevant human data found in the Medline, the Pascal and the BDSP databases. RESULTS Benzene and ionizing radiation are the only agents conclusively demonstrated to be carcinogenic to the haematopoietic system. In particular, both exposures are strongly associated with acute myeloid leukaemia. Low doses of both may also be related to myeloid malignancies. Infectious agents and pesticides are also thought to induce lymphoproliferative cancers. Some studies show an association between haematological malignancies and low-frequency electromagnetic fields and organic solvents. All of these suspected occupational causes must be confirmed by further studies. CONCLUSIONS Better knowledge and understanding of occupational causes of haematological malignancies are necessary to improve their prevention and compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Descatha
- Unité de pathologie professionnelle et de santé au travail, Hôpital R. Poincaré, AP-HP 92380 Garches, France.
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21
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Boffetta P. Risk of Acute Myeloid Leukemia After Exposure to Diesel Exhaust: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence. J Occup Environ Med 2004; 46:1076-83. [PMID: 15602182 DOI: 10.1097/01.jom.0000141669.08765.ab] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to review the epidemiologic literature on exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) exposure and leukemia risk. No cohort studies, nine case-control studies, and nine studies based on routine statistics and record linkages provided results useful to assess the risk of leukemia, and in particular acute myeloid leukemia (AML), among exposed workers. No formal pooling of the results was possible. The available studies do not consistently suggest an increased risk of leukemia, and specifically AML, among workers exposed to DE. For none of the occupational groups potentially exposed to DE, the results suggest an association, and sporadic positive results are counterbalanced by negative associations and might result from reporting bias. DE exposure does not appear to be associated with increased risk of leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Boffetta
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Blair A, Zheng T, Linos A, Stewart PA, Zhang YW, Cantor KP. Occupation and leukemia: a population-based case-control study in Iowa and Minnesota. Am J Ind Med 2001; 40:3-14. [PMID: 11439392 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.1066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have suggested that risk of leukemia may be associated with occupational or industrial exposures and risk may vary by the histological type of the disease. METHODS A population-based case-control study was conducted in Iowa and Minnesota to evaluate the association between various occupations, industries, and occupational exposures and leukemia risk. A total of 513 cases and 1,087 controls was included in the study. A lifetime occupational history and other risk factor information were collected through in-person interviews, and a job-exposure matrix was used to assess possible risks associated with specific exposures. RESULTS A significantly increased risk of leukemia was observed among agricultural service industries and among nursing and healthcare workers. Janitors, cleaners, and light truck drivers also experienced increased risk. Those employed in plumbing, heating and air conditioning industries, and sales of nondurable goods (such as paints and varnishes) had an increased risk. Printers, painters, and workers in the food and metal industries had a nonsignificantly increased risk of leukemia. Analyses by specific exposures and histology of leukemia showed that risk of leukemia associated with occupational or industrial exposures may vary by histological type of the disease. CONCLUSIONS An increased risk of leukemia among workers employed in agricultural industries, nursing and healthcare workers, and in a few occupations with possible exposure to solvents is consistent with earlier studies. Associations of risk with occupations not observed previously deserve further assessment. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Blair
- Occupational Epidemiology Branch, The National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
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23
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Kalnas J, Teitelbaum DT. Dermal absorption of benzene: implications for work practices and regulations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2000; 6:114-21. [PMID: 10828140 DOI: 10.1179/oeh.2000.6.2.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Because the risk of leukemia for workers exposed to 1 ppm of benzene for 40 years is estimated to be 70% greater than the risk for unexposed persons, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommend that the allowable airborne exposure level be 0.1 ppm. Using an experimentally determined dermal flux (permeability) value for benzene through skin, the authors calculated the amount of benzene absorbed through a known surface area (e.g., hands) during exposures where solvents contaminated with benzene were used for cleaning. Even at current contamination levels, which are less than 0.1% in most products, the amount of benzene absorbed through the skin over a long period can be significant, depending on exposure time and exposed skin surface areas. In the example given, the risk for leukemia was increased by 42%. Therefore, the authors recommend that the liquid benzene concentration that triggers labeling, worker education, and protective measures to minimize skin exposure be reduced from 0.1% to 0.01%.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kalnas
- The Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA
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Lazarov D, Waldron HA, Pejin D. Acute myeloid leukaemia and exposure to organic solvents--a case-control study. Eur J Epidemiol 2000; 16:295-301. [PMID: 10870947 DOI: 10.1023/a:1007618216958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The objective was to study the relation between exposure to organic solvents and the risk of developing acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in Caucasians aged 18 years and more. Ninety-eight cases of AML were diagnosed from September 1986 to March 1990 in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, and in two London hospitals from September 1988 and May 1994 and from July 1992 and July 1994, respectively. Two controls were matched to each case by hospital, year of admission, gender and 5-year age group. Information on solvent exposure was collected by interview. Odds ratios (ORs) were derived with conditional logistic regression. The degree of solvent exposure was determined by three experts blind to the status of the subject with good agreement between them (the kappa coefficient ranged between 0.52 and 0.86). The response rate for cases was 80%. Exposure to solvents was associated with the increased risk of AML (OR: 2.52; 95% CI: 1.45-4.39; p = 0.001) and those with probable exposure to solvents were found to have an odds ratio of AML over three times greater than non-exposed. We also found an elevated OR for exposure to oils (OR: 1.56) but this was not statistically significant. There is no clear pattern of increasing risks with increasing duration of employment but a significant risk was found for exposures of 10 years or less. An induction period of less than 10 years or more than 30 years was associated with a significantly raised OR. There was a significant excess of machinery mechanics and fitters among the cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Lazarov
- West London Occupational Health Service, UK.
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Abstract
Incidence rates for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) have been rising throughout the world for several decades, and no convincing explanation exists for the majority of this increase. The commonest subtypes of NHL have no well-defined aetiological factors but lymphoma development has been linked with exposure to a variety of chemicals, including nitrates, pesticides, herbicides, and solvents. Benzene, a solvent and important constituent of petrochemical products, is a potent lymphomagen in experimental animals and high-dose exposure in humans is associated with both acute myeloid leukaemia and NHL. Much current interest centres on the possibility that environmental benzene exposure in the general public may underlie a proportion of the increase in NHL. Seventy per cent of benzene exposure in the environment is derived from vehicle exhaust emissions, whose increase has closely paralleled the rise in frequency of the disease. Mathematical modelling has been used to calculate an acceptable concentration of benzene in air based on risk estimates derived from industrial exposure, but the recommended target concentration in the U.K. of 1 ppb is regularly exceeded in urban locations. Detailed investigation of the health effects of low-level benzene exposure awaits an accurate assay for quantifying long-term human exposure. The (32)P post-labelling technique for the detection of toxin-specific DNA adducts is extremely sensitive and has been applied in the biomonitoring of exposure to a number of carcinogens, but benzene-DNA adducts have to date proved elusive of detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R O'Connor
- Department of Histopathology, Leicester Royal Infirmary NHS Trust, Leicester, U.K
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26
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Rêgo MA. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma risk derived from exposure to organic solvents: a review of epidemiologic studies. CAD SAUDE PUBLICA 1998; 14 Suppl 3:41-66. [PMID: 9819464 DOI: 10.1590/s0102-311x1998000700006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The rate of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) has increased around the world during the last decades. Apart from the role of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the development of NHL, exposure to chemical agents like phenoxyacetic pesticides, hair dyes, metal fumes and organic solvents are suspected to be involved. The present review evaluates the results of studies that directly or indirectly searched for an association between solvent exposure and NHL. The selected studies comprised those published from 1979 to 1997, designed to investigate risk factors for NHL, whether specifically looking for solvent exposure or for general risks in which solvent exposure could be included. In 25 of the 45 reviewed studies (55.5%), fifty-four statistically significant associations between NHL and solvent exposure related occupations or industries were reported. Statistical significance was more frequently shown in studies where solvent exposure was more accurately defined. In eighteen of such studies, 13 (72.2%) defined or suggested organic solvents as possible risk factors for NHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Rêgo
- Centro de Estudos da Saúde do Trabalhador--CESAT, Rua Pedro Lessa 123, Canela, 40.110-050, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.
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27
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Bye T, Romundstad PR, Rønneberg A, Hilt B. Health survey of former workers in a Norwegian coke plant: Part 2. Cancer incidence and cause specific mortality. Occup Environ Med 1998; 55:622-6. [PMID: 9861185 PMCID: PMC1757644 DOI: 10.1136/oem.55.9.622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A Norwegian coke plant that operated from 1964 to 1988 was investigated to ascertain whether the male workers in this plant had increased morbidities of cancer or increased mortality from specific causes, particularly associated with specific exposures at the coke plant. METHODS Personal data on all the employees of the plant were obtained from the plant's archives. With additional data from the Norwegian Bureau of Statistics we identified 888 male former workers at the plant. Causes of death were obtained from the Norwegian Bureau of Statistics, and cancer diagnoses from the Norwegian Cancer Registry. The results were compared with national averages adjusted for age. Specific exposures were estimated with records of actual measurements done at the plant and interviews with former workers at the plant. RESULTS A significant excess of stomach cancer (standardised incidence ratio (SIR) 2.22, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01 to 4.21) was found. Mortality from ischaemic heart disease and sudden death was positively associated with work in areas which entailed peak exposures to CO. When considering work in such areas the past 3 years before death, the association was significant (p = 0.01). The last result is based on only two deaths. CONCLUSIONS Considering the short follow up time and the small size of the cohort the results should be interpreted with a certain caution. The positive results would justify a re-examination of the cohort at a later date.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Bye
- Department of Occupational Medicine, University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway
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28
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Abstract
A literature review of the impact on human health of exposure to benzene was conducted. Special emphasis in this report is given to the health effects reported in excess of national norms by participants in the Benzene Subregistry of the National Exposure Registry--people having documented exposure to benzene through the use of benzene-contaminated water for domestic purposes. The health effects reported in excess (p < or = .01) by some or all of the sex and age groups studied were diabetes, kidney disease, respiratory allergies, skin rashes, and urinary tract disorders; anemia was also increased for females, but not significantly so.
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Affiliation(s)
- G L Gist
- Exposure and Disease Registry Branch, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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29
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Abstract
Although it is generally acknowledged that benzene causes leukemia, especially acute myeloid leukemia, considerable divergences persist in the assessment of the leukemia risk due to occupational low-level benzene exposure. Specifically, the risk for vehicle mechanics is considered by some authors as being nondetectable with epidemiologic methods, whereas others calculated that the incidence rate of leukemia (all types) in vehicle mechanics is increased more than 60 times. The purpose of this review is to examine the publications on this topic in light of criteria for causal inference and to discuss the possible role of bias, confounding factors, and chance. The results of this analysis reveal that there are surprisingly few epidemiologic observations supporting an increased incidence of leukemia in vehicle mechanics. Apparently, publications suggesting a leukemogenic effect of low-level benzene exposure in garage mechanics are more often quoted than their negative counterparts, although they are not better designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Hotz
- Unit of Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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