Summary
A case-referent study was done on the possible association between primary liver cancer (ICD 155.0) and occupational exposures. In all, 374 cases were reported to the Finnish Cancer Registry in 1979 and 1980. After the exclusion of wrong diagnoses, nonrespondents and cases for whom the primary site was uncertain, 126 cases (64 men and 62 women) remained. Each case was matched for sex, age (± 5 years), vital status and geographical district with two cases of coronary infarction selected from hospital records without any knowledge of occupational history. Nonrespondence (38%) reduced the number to 175 referents (82 men and 92 women). A questionnaire on former employment and tasks was mailed to living subjects (6+6) and to the next of kin of deceased patients. An industrial hygienist then evaluated the exposure history blindly and, whenever necessary, contacted the workplace or the next of kin for more details. Only exposures commencing 10 years or more before diagnosis were considered. Altogether six female cases but no referent had been exposed to solvents. One had been exposed to chlorinated solvents in dry cleaning and two others had used both carbon tetrachloride and aromatic and aliphatic solvents. Three cases had been exposed to mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic solvents, but not chlorinated hydrocarbons. By contrast, the men did not differ with regard to exposure to solvents. Two cases and five referents were classified as having been exposed to solvent mixtures. The present results are hypothesis generating only, and the excess solvent exposure found for women must be confirmed in other studies before any conclusions can be drawn.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Blair A, Decouflé P, Grauman D (1979) Causes of death among laundry and dry cleaning workers. Am J Publ Health 69:508–511
Finnish Cancer Registry (1982) Cancer incidence in Finland 1979
Hernberg S (1982) Occupational cancer epidemiology: Limitations and perspectives. Occupational safety and health series No. 46, pp 129–134. International Labour Office, Geneva 1982
Houten L, Sonnesso G (1980) Occupational exposure and cancer of the liver. Arch Environ Health 35:51–53
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (1982) IARC monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans. IARC monographs supplement 4, IARC, Lyon, France
Katz R, Jowett D (1981) Female laundry and dry cleaning workers in Wisconsin: a mortality analysis. Am J Publ Health 71:305–307
Málek B, Kremárová B, Rodová O (1979) An epidemiological study of hepatic tumor incidence in subjects working with trichloroethylene. II. Negative results of retrospective investigations in dry cleaners. Prakov Lék 31:124–126 [English summary]
Stemhagen A, Slade J, Altman R, Bill J (1983) Occupational risk factors and liver cancer. Am J Epidem 117:443–454
Tola S, Vilhunen R, Järvinen E, Korkala M-L (1980) A cohort study on workers exposed to trichloroethylene. J Occup Med 22:737–740
Wyngaarden JB, Smith LH eds. (1982) Cecil textbook of medicine, 16th edn., vol 1. WB Saunders Company, Philadelphia London Toronto Mexico City Rio de Janeiro Sydney Tokyo, p 799
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Part of the results have been presented at the third Conference on Epidemiology in Occupational Health, 28–30 September, 1983 in Singapore
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hernberg, S., Korkala, ML., Asikainen, U. et al. Primary liver cancer and exposure to solvents. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 54, 147–153 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378517
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378517