Mortality and exposure response among 14,458 electrical capacitor manufacturing workers exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Prince, Mary M. Ruder, Avima M. Hein, Misty J. Waters, Martha A. Whelan, Elizabeth A. Nilsen, Nancy Ward, Elizabeth M. Schnorr, Teresa M. Laber, Patricia A. Davis-King, Karen E.
Copyright Year	2006
Abstract	BackgroundWe expanded an existing cohort of workers (n = 2,588) considered highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at two capacitor manufacturing plants to include all workers with at least 90 days of potential PCB exposure during 1939–1977 (n = 14,458). Causes of death of a priori interest included liver and rectal cancers, previously reported for the original cohort, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), melanoma, and breast, brain, intestine, stomach, and prostate cancers, based on other studies.MethodsWe ascertained vital status of the workers through 1998, and cumulative PCB exposure was estimated using a new job exposure matrix. Analyses employed standardized mortality ratios (SMRs; U.S., state, and county referents) and Poisson regression modeling.ResultsMortality from NHL, melanoma, and rectal, breast, and brain cancers were neither in excess nor associated with cumulative exposure. Mortality was not elevated for liver cancer [21 deaths; SMR 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.55–1.36], but increased with cumulative exposure (trend p-value = 0.071). Among men, stomach cancer mortality was elevated (24 deaths; SMR 1.53; 95% CI, 0.98–2.28) and increased with cumulative exposure (trend p-value = 0.039). Among women, intestinal cancer mortality was elevated (67 deaths; SMR 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02–1.66), especially in higher cumulative exposure categories, but without a clear trend. Prostate cancer mortality, which was not elevated (34 deaths; SMR 1.04; 95% CI, 0.72–1.45), increased with cumulative exposure (trend p-value = 0.0001).ConclusionsThis study corroborates previous studies showing increased liver cancer mortality, but we cannot clearly associate rectal, stomach, and intestinal cancers with PCB exposure. This is the first PCB cohort showing a strong exposure–response relationship for prostate cancer mortality.
ISSN	00916765
Journal	Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume Number	114
PubMed Central reference number	PMC1626402
Issue Number	10
PubMed reference number	17035134
e-ISSN	15529924
DOI	10.1289/ehp.9175
Language	English
Publisher	National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Publisher Date	2006-10-01
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from EHP may be reprinted freely. Use of materials published in EHP should be acknowledged (for example, ?Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives?); pertinent reference information should be provided for the article from which the material was reproduced. Articles from EHP, especially the News section, may contain photographs or illustrations copyrighted by other commercial organizations or individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from the holder of the copyright.
Subject Keyword	cancer electrical capacitor manufacturing liver cancer mortality occupational exposure PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls prostate cancer
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health