TY - JOUR
T1 - Mortality from liver cancer and leukaemia among polyvinyl chloride workers in Taiwan
T2 - An updated study
AU - Hsieh, Hui I.
AU - Chen, Pau Chung
AU - Wong, Ruey Hong
AU - Du, Chung Li
AU - Chang, Yu Yin
AU - Wang, Jung Der
AU - Cheng, Tsun Jen
PY - 2011/2
Y1 - 2011/2
N2 - Objectives: To investigate types of cancer caused by occupational exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and the temporal mortality trends of these cancers in workers from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing factories in Taiwan, with follow-up of the cohort extended by 15 years, from 1980 to 2007. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of workers from six PVC factories in Taiwan was conducted. 3336 male PVC workers were enrolled and further linked with the National Mortality Registry and National Household Registry databases. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) with 95% CIs were calculated and compared to the general Taiwanese male population. Cause-specific mortality between two study periods, 1980-1997 and 1998-2007, was compared. Six-year moving averages of the SMRs were calculated to examine mortality trends. Results: Liver cancer mortality increased during 1989-1994 (SMR 1.90, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.25), reached a peak during 1991-1996 (SMR 2.31, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.61) and became non-significant during 1994-1999 (SMR 1.42, 95% CI 0.80 to 2.34). Leukaemia mortality significantly increased during 1984-1989 (SMR 6.06, 95% CI 1.24 to 17.53), reached a peak during 1985-1990 (SMR 7.56, 95% CI 2.06 to 19.35) and became non-significant during 1991-1996 (SMR 3.24, 95% CI 0.39 to 11.69). The mortality trend for haemolymphopoietic cancer showed a similar pattern to that of leukaemia. Conclusions: VCM may increase the risk of liver cancer and leukaemia. When VCM exposure was controlled at worksites, mortality from these cancers returned to background levels.
AB - Objectives: To investigate types of cancer caused by occupational exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and the temporal mortality trends of these cancers in workers from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing factories in Taiwan, with follow-up of the cohort extended by 15 years, from 1980 to 2007. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of workers from six PVC factories in Taiwan was conducted. 3336 male PVC workers were enrolled and further linked with the National Mortality Registry and National Household Registry databases. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) with 95% CIs were calculated and compared to the general Taiwanese male population. Cause-specific mortality between two study periods, 1980-1997 and 1998-2007, was compared. Six-year moving averages of the SMRs were calculated to examine mortality trends. Results: Liver cancer mortality increased during 1989-1994 (SMR 1.90, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.25), reached a peak during 1991-1996 (SMR 2.31, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.61) and became non-significant during 1994-1999 (SMR 1.42, 95% CI 0.80 to 2.34). Leukaemia mortality significantly increased during 1984-1989 (SMR 6.06, 95% CI 1.24 to 17.53), reached a peak during 1985-1990 (SMR 7.56, 95% CI 2.06 to 19.35) and became non-significant during 1991-1996 (SMR 3.24, 95% CI 0.39 to 11.69). The mortality trend for haemolymphopoietic cancer showed a similar pattern to that of leukaemia. Conclusions: VCM may increase the risk of liver cancer and leukaemia. When VCM exposure was controlled at worksites, mortality from these cancers returned to background levels.
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U2 - 10.1136/oem.2010.056978
DO - 10.1136/oem.2010.056978
M3 - Article
C2 - 20798004
AN - SCOPUS:78751683045
SN - 1351-0711
VL - 68
SP - 120
EP - 125
JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 2
ER -
