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Cancer mortality among European asphalt workers: an international epidemiological study. II. Exposure to bitumen fume and other agents
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Cancer mortality among European asphalt workers: an international epidemiological study. II. Exposure to bitumen fume and other agents

Paolo Boffetta, Igor Burstyn, Timo Partanen, Hans Kromhout, Ole Svane, Sverre Langård, Bengt Järvholm, Rainer Frentzel-Beyme, Timo Kauppinen, Isabelle Stücker, …
American journal of industrial medicine, v 43(1)
Jan 2003
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.10182
PMID: 12494419
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/407274/ajim.10182.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=yView
SubmittedOpen Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Adult Cohort Studies Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) Europe Humans Hydrocarbons Inhalation Exposure Life Sciences Lung Neoplasms Male Neoplasms Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Risk Assessment Santé publique et épidémiologie
BACKGROUND: An increased risk of lung cancers among asphalt workers has been suggested in epidemiological studies based on large scale statistical analyses. METHODS: In a multi-country study of 29,820 male workers employed in road paving, asphalt mixing and roofing, 32,245 ground and building construction workers and 17,757 other workers from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, with mortality that was documented from 1953-2000. Exposures to bitumen fume, coal tar, 4-6 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organic vapor, diesel exhaust, asbestos, and silica dust were assessed via a job-exposure matrix. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on national mortality rates, as well as relative risks (RRs) based on Poisson regression models were calculated. RESULTS: The SMR of lung cancer among workers exposed to bitumen fume (1.08, 95% CI 0.99-1.18) was comparable to that of non-exposed workers (SMR 1.05, 95% CI 0.92-1.19). In a sub-cohort of bitumen-exposed workers without exposure to coal tar, the SMR of lung cancer was 1.23 (95% CI 1.02-1.48). The analysis based on the semi-quantitative, matrix-based exposures in the whole cohort did not suggest an increased lung cancer risk following exposure to bitumen fume. However, in an analysis restricted to road pavers, based on quantitative estimate of bitumen fume exposure, a dose-response was suggested for average level of exposure, applying a 15-year lag, which was marginally reduced after adjustment for co-exposure to coal tar. The results for cancer of the head and neck were similar to those of lung cancer, although they were based on a smaller number of deaths. There was no clear suggestion of an association with bitumen fume for any other neoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the analysis by bitumen fume exposure do not allow us to conclude on the presence or absence of a causal link between exposure to bitumen fume and risk of cancer of the lung and the head and neck.

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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