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Related Experiment Videos

Mortality among workers exposed to ethylene oxide.

K Steenland1, L Stayner, A Greife

  • 1National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226.

The New England Journal of Medicine
|May 16, 1991
PubMed
Summary

This study found no overall increase in cancer mortality for workers exposed to ethylene oxide (EtO). However, a slight increase in hematopoietic cancers was observed in men, with a trend toward higher risk over time.

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational health
  • Epidemiology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a known carcinogen in animals.
  • Previous human studies on EtO exposure and cancer risk have yielded conflicting results.
  • Concerns exist regarding EtO's potential to cause leukemia and other cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mortality risks associated with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO).
  • To assess the association between EtO exposure and specific cancer types, including leukemia and hematopoietic cancers.
  • To compare mortality rates in a cohort of U.S. workers with the general U.S. population.

Main Methods:

  • A mortality study was conducted on 18,254 U.S. workers with documented ethylene oxide (EtO) exposure.

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  • The cohort was followed for an average of 16 years, with an average exposure duration of 4.9 years.
  • Mortality data was compared to the general U.S. population using standardized mortality ratios (SMRs).

    • Main Results:

    • No significant overall increase in mortality from any cause was observed in the study cohort.
    • While leukemia and stomach cancer SMRs were not significantly elevated, a trend toward increased mortality from hematopoietic cancers was noted with longer follow-up time.
    • A significant increase in hematopoietic cancer mortality was observed among men, particularly non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and a significant increase in leukemia mortality was seen in men in recent years.

    Conclusions:

    • Overall mortality from hematopoietic cancer was not increased in the entire cohort exposed to ethylene oxide (EtO).
    • A slight but significant increase in hematopoietic cancer mortality was identified specifically among men.
    • A trend of increased risk for death from hematopoietic cancer was observed with longer time since initial ethylene oxide (EtO) exposure.