Bladder Cancer Risk in Workers Exposed to Aromatic Amines
Author Information
Author(s): A. Decarli, J. Peto, G. Piolatto, C. La Vecchia
Primary Institution: Institute of Medical Statistics - University of Milan
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between exposure to aromatic amines and bladder cancer risk among workers?
Conclusion
Workers exposed to aromatic amines had a significantly increased risk of bladder cancer, especially those directly involved in its manufacture.
Supporting Evidence
- Workers directly involved in aromatic amine manufacture had a greater risk of bladder cancer than those with intermittent exposure.
- The risk of bladder cancer increased with the duration of exposure to aromatic amines.
- Relative risk decreased after cessation of exposure, indicating a possible late stage effect.
Takeaway
If you work with certain chemicals called aromatic amines, you might get sick with bladder cancer more than other people.
Methodology
The study followed 906 workers from a dyestuff factory over several decades, analyzing their exposure to aromatic amines and subsequent bladder cancer mortality.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to untraced subjects and reliance on death certificates.
Limitations
The study may have imprecision in job classification and observational problems that could obscure trends.
Participant Demographics
All male workers who had worked for at least one year in the factory between 1922 and 1970.
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