Mortality among workers from a plastics producing plant: a matched case-control study nested in a retrospective...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Previous studies suggested excess cancer mortality among plastics plant workers.
• Specific concerns included digestive and genitourinary cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cancer mortality risks in a cohort of male wage earners at a Massachusetts plastics plant.
• To identify specific occupational exposures linked to observed cancer excesses.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study of 2,490 male workers (1949-1966) with vital status ascertained through 1976.
• Comparison of mortality rates with local white males using standard mortality ratios (SMR).
• A matched case-control study to examine job-specific and work area exposures.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant excess in genitourinary cancer (SMR = 153.6) and a slight excess in digestive system cancer (SMR = 101.8) were observed.
• No general plant exposure or date of hire was linked to digestive or genitourinary cancers.
• Associations were found between rectal cancer and cellulose nitrate production, and prostatic cancer and polystyrene processing.

Conclusions:

• While overall cancer risks were not elevated by general plant exposure, specific job roles showed increased risk for certain cancers.
• Continued surveillance is recommended for workers in cellulose nitrate production and polystyrene processing due to potential links with rectal and prostate cancers, respectively.
• Further research may clarify the etiological factors for digestive and genitourinary cancers in this cohort.