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Mortality update of butadiene production workers
1Texaco Inc., Houston, TX 77251, USA.
Toxicology
|October 28, 1996
Summary
This updated study on 1,3-butadiene workers shows elevated lymphohematopoietic cancer risks, particularly for those employed before 1950. Cumulative exposure did not correlate with increased cancer risk in this cohort.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Epidemiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Previous studies indicated potential links between 1,3-butadiene exposure and lymphosarcoma.
- An elevated, though nonsignificant, risk for leukemia was observed in workers with intermittent exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mortality patterns in a cohort of 1,3-butadiene workers with extended follow-up.
- To analyze updated mortality data, including newly eligible workers.
Main Methods:
- A cohort mortality study of 2795 male workers at a 1,3-butadiene facility.
- Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) analyses and regression modeling using cumulative exposure scores were performed.
Main Results:
- Overall mortality and cancer mortality showed deficits (SMR 88 and 92, respectively).
- A significant excess of lymphohematopoietic cancers (LHC) was observed (SMR 147), driven by lymphosarcoma and other lymphatic tissue cancers.
- Elevated LHC risk was confined to workers first employed before 1950; cumulative exposure did not significantly correlate with cancer risk.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms an increased risk of lymphohematopoietic cancers in workers with early employment dates at the 1,3-butadiene facility.
- While age at hire and age were risk factors for some LHC, cumulative exposure was not a significant predictor in this updated analysis.