Gastrointestinal cancer mortality of workers in occupations with high asbestos exposures

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burnett CA ; Freund, Eugene ; Kang S ; Lalich, Nina ; Sestito J ; Walker J
• Description:
  Asbestos, which is a well-known risk factor for lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, has also been suggested as a gastrointestinal (GI) carcinogen. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between high asbestos exposure occupations and the occurrence of GI cancer. Death certificate data were analyzed from 4,943,566 decedents with information on occupation and industry from 28 states from 1979 through 1990, Elevated proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) for mesothelioma were used to identify occupations potentially having many workers exposed to asbestos. All PMRs were age adjusted and sex and race-specific. The PMRs for GI cancers in white males were then calculated for these occupations after excluding mesothelioma, lung cancer, and non-malignant respiratory disease from all deaths. We identified 15,524 cases of GI cancer in the 12 occupations with elevated PMRs for mesothelioma. When these occupations were occupations were combined, the PMRs for esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer were significantly elevated at 108 (95% confidence interval = 107-110), 110 (106-113), and 109 (107-110), respectively. Esophageal cancer was elevated in sheet metal workers and mechanical workers. Gastric cancer was elevated in supervisors in production managers. Colorectal cancer was elevated in mechanical and electrical and electronic engineers. However, high exposure occupations like insulation, construction painter supervisors, plumbers, furnace operators, and construction electricians showed no elevations of GI cancers. In conclusion, this death certificate study supports on association between asbestos exposure and some GI cancer, however the magnitude of this effect is very small. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Asbestos Carcinogens Construction Industry Digestive System Digestive System Diseases Dust Electricity Inorganic Chemicals Lung Men Neoplasms Occupational Health Paint Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Women Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Age-groups Asbestos-dust Asbestos-fibers Cancer Construction-industry Electrical-industry Electronics-industry Exposure-levels Exposure-limits Gastrointestinal-system-disorders Humans Insulation-industry Insulation-materials Insulation-workers Lung-function Painters Plumbers Plumbing Pulmonary-system Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiratory-system-disorders Sociological-factors Work-areas Work-environment Workers

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• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20041333
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 19-23, 1997, Dallas, Texas. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 1997 May; :11
• CAS Registry Number:
  Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1997
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 19-23, 1997, Dallas, Texas
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3e6e42631c784fb756e1bd78884d26b457eaca81dadbbb9cca608ef856cb430d9e0da4a902348b699ccf412a117def91038d10a1e476660334b2e2a992de3b74
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193930/cdc_193930_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 865.58 KB ]