Occupational exposure to chlorinated solvents and kidney cancer: a case-control study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chow W-H ; Colt JS ; Davis F ; Friesen MC ; Graubard BI ; Hein, Misty J. ; Hofmann JN ; Locke SJ ; Purdue MP ; Rothman N ; Ruterbusch J ; Schwartz K ; Stewart PA ; Waters MA
• Description:
  OBJECTIVES: Trichloroethylene, a chlorinated solvent widely used for metal degreasing, is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a kidney carcinogen. Other chlorinated solvents are suspected carcinogens, most notably the cleaning solvent perchloroethylene, although it is unclear whether they are associated with kidney cancer. We investigated kidney cancer associations with occupational exposure to 6 chlorinated solvents (trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and methylene chloride) within a case-control study using detailed exposure assessment methods. METHODS: Cases (n=1217) and controls (n=1235) provided information on their occupational histories and, for selected occupations, on tasks involving potential exposure to chlorinated solvents through job-specific interview modules. Using this information, an industrial hygienist assessed potential exposure to each solvent. We computed ORs and 95% CIs for different exposure metrics, with unexposed participants as the referent group. RESULTS: 1,1,1-trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and methylene chloride were not associated with kidney cancer. Among jobs with high exposure intensity, high cumulative hours exposed to perchloroethylene was associated with increased risk, both overall (third tertile vs unexposed: OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.3 to 7.4) and after excluding participants with =50% exposure probability for trichloroethylene (OR 3.0, 95% CI 0.99 to 9.0). A non-significant association with high cumulative hours exposed to trichloroethylene was observed (OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.8 to 3.8). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, high exposure to perchloroethylene was associated with kidney cancer, independent of trichloroethylene. Additional studies are needed to further investigate this finding. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Carcinogens Environmental Exposure Metals Neoplasms Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Solvents Tetrachloroethylene Trichloroethanes

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• Keywords:
  1,1,1-Trichloroethane Cancer Carbon Tetrachloride Chlorinated Solvents Chloroform Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Industrial Hygienists Kidneys Methylene Chloride Perchloroethylene Risk Factors Trichloroethylene

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• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Michigan ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  268-274
• Volume:
  74
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048960
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 2017 Mar; 74(4):268-274
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr Mark Purdue, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Room 6E602, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850
• Email:
  purduem@mail.nih.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  1,1,1-Trichloroethane (CAS RN 71-55-6) ; Carbon tetrafluoride (CAS RN 75-73-0) ; Chloroform (CAS RN 67-66-3) ; Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2) ; Tetrachloroethylene (CAS RN 127-18-4) ; Trichloroethylene (CAS RN 79-01-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ee2d08ce7399fc6a7044f6557c94e12a765f9aecdc30cc10201a7ba9f83ec153dc902fa23128ac4eea26a15d22acd09a0cb72769050432d92509880a5d519c6d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203572/cdc_203572_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 484.84 KB ]