Industry-wide study of mortality of pulp and paper mill workers.

A study of pulp and paper mill workers indicated low risks of death from all causes (standardized mortality ratio (SMR) = 0.74) and all cancers (SMR = 0.81) compared with U.S. rates. The leukemia death rate in workers was not higher than the U.S. rate but was higher than the rate in county populations surrounding mills. Workers whose last jobs were in the finishing areas of the mills had an elevated SMR for liver cancer. An internal comparison of occupational characteristics indicated that workers employed in mills using other chemical pulping operations had significantly elevated mortality from all causes, all cancers, heart disease, lymphomas, and brain cancers. Lung cancer mortality was elevated in mills using kraft pulping. The internal comparisons confirmed the association between work in finishing and the risk of liver cancer. This study was designed to investigate whether pulp and paper mill workers have any risks that would indicate the need for studies detailing exposures.

Risk of male lung cancer attributed to coal combustion indoors in Shanghai.

Lung cancer is now the leading cause of death among all male cancers in Shanghai. Besides the smoking habit, the indoor air pollution from coal combustion may also make some contribution. The purpose of our study is to explore the risk of lung cancer death in male residents who live in coal-using families. Stratified by two extreme levels of ambient sulphur dioxide (SO2) and inhalable particulate (IP) concentrations, 4 areas were chosen in the city proper: Area A (low SO2, low IP); Area B (high SO2, low IP); Area C (low SO2, high IP) and Area D (high SO2, high IP). Within each of these areas, two neighboring residential groups were chosen, one of which uses coal as fuel (group 1), with the other using coal gas or liquified petroleum gas as fuel (group 0). The percentages of smokers and the ambient environment of the two chosen groups within each area are comparable. Total person-years observed is 117,039 from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 1987 for all males in the 8 groups. The mortalities (per 100,000 person-years) of male lung cancer in the 8 groups are as follows: A0-22.33, A1-37.64; B0-27.14, B1-30.72; C0-41.77, C1-54.99; D0-49.97, D1-78.11. The result shows that male lung cancer mortality in the coal-using group is higher than that in the coal-gas-using group within each area. Mantel-Haenszel's Relative Risk (RRMH) of male lung cancer in coal-using groups is 1.44 stratified by ambient SO2 and IP and smoking levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pilot study on the relationship between male stomach and liver cancer death and mutagenicity of drinking water in the Huangpu River area.

A quasi-historical cohort study method was used to collect the data of male stomach and liver cancer death from 1984 to 1988 in male residents (> or = 30 years old) of three tap-water-drinking communities at the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Huangpu River. Total person-years observed are 184,645. The result shows that the world standard population standardized cut-off mortalities (> or = 30 years old) of male stomach and liver cancer increase gradually from the upper to lower reaches. The mortalities from the upper to the lower reaches are 62.7, 86.2 and 146.0/100,000 person-years for male stomach cancer and 56.9, 67.7 and 81.3/100,000 person-years for male liver cancer, respectively. This trend is consistent with the change of the rate of positive Ames Test results of drinking water from the upper to lower reaches (0, 70, 100%). It suggests that a causal correlation may exist between the two. The distribution of other possible risk factors in the three communities is also described.

Effects of drinking water from the lower reaches of the Huangpu River on the risk of male stomach and liver cancer death.

A quasi-historical cohort study method was used to collect the data of male stomach and liver cancer death and the data of exposure to relevant risk factors from 1984 to 1988 in male tap-water- and raw-water-drinking cohorts (> or = 30 years old) at both the upper and lower reaches of the Huangpu River. Total person-years observed are 172,448. The Odds Ratios of drinking water from the lower reaches for male stomach cancer and liver cancer death are 2.021 (p < 0.01) and 1.851 (p < 0.01), respectively, in unconditional logistic regression analysis after controlling possible confounding factors. The result shows that drinking water from the lower reaches of the Huangpu River is one of the important risk factors for male stomach and liver cancer death in local areas.