| Document ID (ISN) | 112153 |
| CIS number |
11-0798 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
1545-9624 - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene |
| Year |
2009 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Behrens T., Schill W., Ahrens W. |
| Title |
Elevated cancer mortality in a German cohort of bitumen workers: Extended follow-up through 2004 |
| Bibliographic information |
Sep. 2009, Vol.6, No.9, p.555-561. 16 ref. |
| Internet access |
Elevated_cancer_mortality.pdf [in English]
|
| Abstract |
The mortality follow-up in a cohort of 7919 male German asphalt workers covered an additional six years. Workers were classified into four exposure categories: exposure to bitumen only, to bitumen and coal tar, neither to tar nor to bitumen, and unknown exposure. Exposure-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and associated 95% confidence intervals based on age and calendar period-specific national mortality rates were calculated. To compare exposed and unexposed workers, relative risks were estimated by Poisson regression. By the end of 2004, 835 workers had died. The SMR for lung cancer was 1.77. Head and neck cancer showed an SMR of 2.36. Bladder cancer mortality was elevated threefold. Significantly elevated cancer-related SMRs were also found for all malignant tumours. In addition, elevated mortality rates of non-malignant causes such as alcoholism, liver cirrhosis and unnatural causes of deaths including accidents were observed. The follow-up demonstrated an excess of cancer in this cohort of asphalt workers. Although exposure to bitumen cannot be ruled out as being responsible for the observed results, a higher prevalence of alcohol and tobacco consumption may partially explain the observed risk increases. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
Germany; bitumen; road work; mortality; cancer; risk factors |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
alcoholism; smoking; bladder tumour; lung cancer; long-term study; confounding factors; cohort study; statistical evaluation; reliability; male workers |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Subject(s) |
Toxic and dangerous substances
Occupational pathology
Construction industry
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Chemical safety
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Cancer and carcinogens
Construction industry and civil engineering
|
