Mortality from pancreatic and lymphopoietic cancer among workers in ethylene and propylene chlorohydrin production.

OBJECTIVES: A previous study reported a fivefold increase in mortality from pancreatic cancer and a threefold increase in lymphopoietic and haematopoietic cancer among 278 men who were assigned to a now dismantled Union Carbide chlorohydrin unit in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia. There were also significant trends with duration of employment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a comparable increased risk in mortality from pancreatic cancer and lymphopoietic and haematopoietic cancer occurred among male employees assigned to the Dow Chemical Company's ethylene and propylene chlorohydrin production processes. METHODS: The cohort consisted of 1361 male employees who worked at the company's Freeport, Texas, Plaquemine, Louisiana or Midland, Michigan plants. Subjects were considered to have had a minimum of 30 days of workplace experience in 1940-92, in the ethylene chlorohydrin and propylene chlorohydrin process areas. These process areas were located within the ethylene oxide and propylene oxide production plants. A total of 300 deaths was observed to 31 December 1992. RESULTS: The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) for all malignant neoplasms was 94 (95% CI 74 to 118). There was one pancreatic cancer death compared with 4.0 expected (SMR 25, 95% CI 1 to 140). There were 10 lymphopoietic and haematopoietic cancer deaths compared with 7.7 expected (SMR 129, 95% CI 62 to 238). Additional analyses, which examined location, production process, duration of employment, and a 25 year induction latency period, were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide some assurance that the Dow Chemical cohort, to date, has not experienced increased risks of pancreatic cancer and lymphopoietic and haematopoietic cancer as previously reported in a different cohort of chlorohydrin workers. Possible reasons are discussed for the inconsistent findings between the two cohorts.

Retrospective cohort mortality study of workers with potential exposure to epichlorohydrin and allyl chloride.

Previous epidemiologic research has associated potential epichlorohydrin exposure with lung cancer and, in conjunction with allyl chloride exposure, to heart disease mortality. The study was designed to test both hypotheses by examining the mortality experience of 1,064 male employees (12,574 person-years) who had a minimum of 1 month work experience between 1957-1986 in the production or use of epichlorohydrin and allyl chloride and 1 year total employment duration at Dow Chemical's Texas Operations. Vital status follow-up occurred through 1989 of which there were 66 total deaths (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] = 80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 62-101). There were no significantly elevated SMRs for all malignant neoplasms, lung cancer, circulatory system disease, or arteriosclerotic heart disease when compared to external (U.S.) or internal (Texas Operations) populations. There were no apparent mortality trends with cumulative exposure analyses of potential epichlorohydrin exposure with and without accompanying allyl chloride exposure. A high prevalence of circulatory system death certificates were certified by nonphysicians in the local county and more than one third were described in nonspecific terms. The study results are not consistent with the prior hypothesized associations. However, the study results are limited by the cohort's size, duration of follow-up, relatively few number of observed and expected deaths, and the level of potential epichlorohydrin exposure experience.

A 5-year evaluation of a smoking cessation incentive program for chemical employees.

BACKGROUND: This 5-year study of the Dow Chemical Texas Operations 1984-1985 Smoking Cessation Incentive Program (SCIP) evaluated the smoking habits of 1,097 participants and 1,174 nonparticipants. RESULTS: We observed, via questionnaire and saliva cotinine data, that participants were 2.3 times more likely to be long-term (greater than or equal to 5 years) nonusers of tobacco than nonparticipants (10.2% vs 4.4%, P less than or equal to 0.01). However, smoking cessation rates for 3-4 years, 1-2 years, and less than 1 year were similar for participants who remained smokers at the conclusion of SCIP and nonparticipants. Age and the interaction between the management job category and having quit smoking for at least 30 days sometime prior to the worksite program were important predictors of smoking cessation among participants. Thirty-six percent of the participants who were considered exsmokers of 6 months duration at the conclusion of the program in 1985 remained long-term quitters 5 years later. Stress and enjoyment of smoking were the two most important reasons provided by participants for recidivism. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this 5-year evaluation demonstrate the heterogeneity of employee participation and success with a worksite smoking cessation program.