Epidemiological study of tumors of the central nervous system in Ohio

Historically, the first epidemiological lead of an excess risk of death due to malignancies of the brain and central nervous system among the former employees of the rubber industry was in 1949, in a study correlating causes of death with prior employment designated on the death certificates for the state of Ohio in 1947. The geographical distribution of deaths (1955) due to histologically confirmed tumors of the CNS identified one county, Summit, of the 88 counties of Ohio, as having significantly more deaths than expected for ages 25-64. Summit County represents the principal rubber manufacture center in the U.S. A series of analyses were carried out which identified a higher death risk among rubber workers compared to nonrubber worker residents of Summit County according to histologically confirmed diagnoses of tumors of the CNS in 1963. Longitudinal employee cohort studies of four different companies engaged in the manufacture of rubber products, in the same state, Ohio, indicated a higher death rate due to tumors of the central nervous system. Epidemiological leads were cited in a broad industry survey comparison in which higher death rates due to neoplasms of the central nervous system were observed among workers in electrical machinery and paper and allied products as well as the rubber industry. Potential chemical linkage of the excess of CNS neoplasm deaths among rubber workers and workers in the rayon industry was explored.