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Document ID (ISN)101963
CIS number 03-814
ISBN(s) 0-7176-2604-0
Year 2003
Convention or series no. HSE Research Report RR 068
Author(s) Armstrong B., Hutchinson E., Fletcher T.
Health and Safety Executive
Title Cancer risk following exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): A meta-analysis
Bibliographic information HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2003. viii, 61p. Illus. 64 ref. Price: GBP 15.00.
Internet access http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr068.pdf [in English]
Abstract Airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have long been known to cause cancer in animals and are classified as human carcinogens. A meta-analysis of published epidemiological studies that include assessments of occupational exposure to PAHs was carried out, in order to identify the determinants of lung and bladder cancer risk. Relevant reports published up to early 2001 were identified systematically using bibliographic databases. From each study that met the inclusion criteria, unit relative risk was estimated by Poisson regression from published tables of risk against estimated cumulative exposure. Distribution and determinants of unit relative risks (URRs) were investigated using standard meta-analytic methods. On average, the URR for lung cancer was 1.20 with significant variation across industries, while for bladder cancer, the average URR was 1.33, with little variation across industries.
Descriptors (primary) aromatic hydrocarbons; bladder tumour; risk factors; cancer; polycyclic hydrocarbons; lung cancer
Descriptors (secondary) literature survey; carcinogens; United Kingdom; report; computerized data bases; hazard evaluation; exposure evaluation; statistical evaluation; poisson distribution; epidemiology
Document type E - Books, reports, proceedings
Country / State or ProvinceUnited Kingdom
Subject(s) Occupational pathology
Broad subject area(s) Chemical safety
Browse category(ies) Diseases of the kidney and the urinary system
Polycyclic hydrocarbons
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Diseases of the respiratory system (except for pneumoconiosis & similar)