morphology of bronchogenic carcinoma in workers formerly exposed to crocidolite at wittenoom gorge...

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16 attributable to smoking was about 80% in this series. Pipe smoking was as common as cigarette smoking and gave similar relative risk. The pipe smoking cases, however, had significantly higher mean age and mean smok- ing years at the time of diagnosis than the cigarette smoking cases. An obvious dose- response relation was found for both cigarette and pipe smoking. In ex-smokers, the relative risk gradually decreased from five years after cessation of smoking. This decrease was, however, much less pronounced in ex-pipe smokers than in ex-cigarette smokers. High relative risks were obtained for small cell and squamous cell carcinomas. For adenocarcinomas the relative risk was considerably lower but still significantly increased. Two types of controls were used, i.e. deceased and living. Comparison with living controls gave generally higher risk estimates than comparison with deceased con- trois. Nested Case-Control Study Lung Cancer among Chemical Workers. Bond, G.G., Flores, G.H., Shellenberger, R.J. et al. Dow Chemical USA, Epidemiology, H & ES, Midland, MI 48674, U.S.A. Am. J. Epidemiol. 124: 53-66, 1986. A recent cohort mortality study of 19,608 male employees of a major Texas chemical production facility had suggested that they might be at higher risk of lung cancer compared with the male population of the United States or Texas but not with the male population of the five-county area in which they reside. An occupational exposure was a possible explanation for this pattern, and a nested case-control study was under- taken of the 308 lung cancer deaths observed between 1940 and 1981. Two control groups, one a decedent and the other a 'living' series, were individually matched to cases one-for-one. Interviews were conducted with subjects or their next of kin to collect in- formation on smoking and other potential confounders. These data were combined with employee work history records and industrial hygiene data to form the basis of the analyses. Traditional stratification methods and conditional logistic regression were employed to examine for effect modification and to control confounding. Statistically significant, positive and negative associa- tions were found for assignment to several work areas within the facility. Suggestive associations were observed for exposure to sulfur dioxide and heat. These and addi- tional associations are discussed relative to evidence from other studies. Morphology of Bronchogenic Carcinoma in Workers Formerly Exposed to Crocidolite at Wittenoom Gorge in Western Australia. Baker, J.E., Reutens, D.C., Graham, D.F. et al. N.H. and M.R.C. Research Unit in Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia. Int. J. Cancer 37: 547-550, 1986. Cytology and histology material from 46 bronchogenic carcinomas occurring in ex- workers from the Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill in Western Australia and a matched random sample of 234 other bronchogenic car- cinomas occurring in Western Australia over the same period were reviewed by a single histopathologist without knowledge of asbes- tos exposure status. Squamous-cell car- cinomas formed 45.7% of the cancers in the asbestos-exposed group but only 32.5% of the cancers in the comparison group. This dif- ference could not be explained by dif- ferences in smoking history between the two groups of lung cancer patients or in the type of histopathological material available for review. The excess of squamous-cell can- cers was observed in subjects both with and without parenchymal asbestosis. Investigation of Lung Cancer Among Female Cosmetologists. Osorio, A.M., Bernstein, L., Garabrant, D.H., Peters, J.M. Division of Occupational Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, U.S.A. J. Occup. Med. 28: 291-295, 1986. Using a population-based cancer registry to identify subjects, a case- control study of female cosmetologists in Los Angeles County was conducted to inves- tigate possible occupation and environmental causes for the elevated lung cancer risk found in this group. A standardized ques- tionnaire was administered to proxy inform- ants for deceased lung cancer patients and deceased nonpulmonary cancer control patients. No association between lung cancer and specific beauty shop tasks, beauty product use, or environmental exposures were observed in the crude analysis or after con- trolling for smoking status. Case subjects had held more jobs outside of cosmetology

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16

attributable to smoking was about 80% in

this series. Pipe smoking was as common as

cigarette smoking and gave similar relative

risk. The pipe smoking cases, however, had

significantly higher mean age and mean smok-

ing years at the time of diagnosis than the

cigarette smoking cases. An obvious dose-

response relation was found for both

cigarette and pipe smoking. In ex-smokers,

the relative risk gradually decreased from

five years after cessation of smoking. This

decrease was, however, much less pronounced

in ex-pipe smokers than in ex-cigarette

smokers. High relative risks were obtained

for small cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

For adenocarcinomas the relative risk was

considerably lower but still significantly

increased. Two types of controls were used,

i.e. deceased and living. Comparison with

living controls gave generally higher risk

estimates than comparison with deceased con-

trois.

Nested Case-Control Study Lung Cancer among

Chemical Workers.

Bond, G.G., Flores, G.H., Shellenberger,

R.J. et al. Dow Chemical USA, Epidemiology,

H & ES, Midland, MI 48674, U.S.A. Am. J.

Epidemiol. 124: 53-66, 1986.

A recent cohort mortality study of

19,608 male employees of a major Texas

chemical production facility had suggested

that they might be at higher risk of lung cancer compared with the male population of

the United States or Texas but not with the

male population of the five-county area in

which they reside. An occupational exposure

was a possible explanation for this pattern,

and a nested case-control study was under-

taken of the 308 lung cancer deaths observed

between 1940 and 1981. Two control groups,

one a decedent and the other a 'living'

series, were individually matched to cases

one-for-one. Interviews were conducted with

subjects or their next of kin to collect in-

formation on smoking and other potential

confounders. These data were combined with

employee work history records and industrial

hygiene data to form the basis of the

analyses. Traditional stratification methods

and conditional logistic regression were

employed to examine for effect modification

and to control confounding. Statistically

significant, positive and negative associa-

tions were found for assignment to several

work areas within the facility. Suggestive

associations were observed for exposure to

sulfur dioxide and heat. These and addi-

tional associations are discussed relative

to evidence from other studies.

Morphology of Bronchogenic Carcinoma in

Workers Formerly Exposed to Crocidolite at

Wittenoom Gorge in Western Australia.

Baker, J.E., Reutens, D.C., Graham, D.F. et

al. N.H. and M.R.C. Research Unit in

Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine,

University of Western Australia, Nedlands,

WA, Australia. Int. J. Cancer 37: 547-550,

1986.

Cytology and histology material from 46

bronchogenic carcinomas occurring in ex-

workers from the Wittenoom crocidolite mine

and mill in Western Australia and a matched

random sample of 234 other bronchogenic car-

cinomas occurring in Western Australia over

the same period were reviewed by a single

histopathologist without knowledge of asbes-

tos exposure status. Squamous-cell car-

cinomas formed 45.7% of the cancers in the

asbestos-exposed group but only 32.5% of the

cancers in the comparison group. This dif-

ference could not be explained by dif-

ferences in smoking history between the two

groups of lung cancer patients or in the

type of histopathological material available

for review. The excess of squamous-cell can-

cers was observed in subjects both with and

without parenchymal asbestosis.

Investigation of Lung Cancer Among Female

Cosmetologists.

Osorio, A.M., Bernstein, L., Garabrant,

D.H., Peters, J.M. Division of Occupational

Health, Department of Preventive Medicine,

University of Southern California, School of

Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, U.S.A. J.

Occup. Med. 28: 291-295, 1986.

Using a population-based cancer

registry to identify subjects, a case-

control study of female cosmetologists in

Los Angeles County was conducted to inves-

tigate possible occupation and environmental

causes for the elevated lung cancer risk

found in this group. A standardized ques-

tionnaire was administered to proxy inform-

ants for deceased lung cancer patients and

deceased nonpulmonary cancer control

patients. No association between lung cancer

and specific beauty shop tasks, beauty

product use, or environmental exposures were

observed in the crude analysis or after con-

trolling for smoking status. Case subjects

had held more jobs outside of cosmetology