Cancer, Organic Solvents and Other Industrial Chemicals
Diesel Miners' Study
The National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health are collaborating on a retrospective cohort mortality and nested case-control study of about 8,200 non-metal miners (184,000 person-years) to investigate risk of lung cancer in relation to quantitative measures of exposure to diesel exhaust. Elevated mortality from other causes among diesel exhaust exposed miners will be examined as well. An extensive effort to characterize current and historical exposures to diesel exhaust and to develop estimates of personal exposures will be an intrinsic part of the study. More information, Debra Silverman
Benzene
A cohort of 75,000 benzene-exposed workers and 35,000 unexposed workers in China is designed to obtain important new exposure-response and biologic information. The project includes cohort, case-control and molecular epidemiology components. More information, Richard Hayes and Nathaniel Rothman
Dry Cleaners
A cohort of 5,000 dry cleaners was assembled to evaluate cancer risk associated with dry cleaning fluids including perchloroethylene, petroleum solvents, and others. The mortality follow-up of this cohort is being extended through 1995 to provide additional power to evaluate this issue. More information, Aaron Blair
Workers Exposed to Acrylonitrile
A cohort of over 25,000 workers employed in eight plants producing or using acrylonitrile have been assembled to evaluate cancer risks from this chemical. The study includes sophisticated procedures to develop historical estimates of exposure and a nested case-control study of lung cancer to obtain information on tobacco use. More information, Aaron Blair and Patricia Stewart
Brain Cancer
A case-control study (800 cases and 800 controls) is underway to evaluate a number of hypotheses on the etiology of brain cancer. Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch investigators are taking the lead on the occupational component which was specifically designed to evaluate exposure to electromagnetic fields, solvents and other physical and chemical agents. More information, Claudine Samanic
Funeral Industry Workers
Workers in the funeral industry have been reported to have increased risk for some cancers. We are investigating the relationship between work practices and formaldehyde exposure with risk for selected malignancies in this industry. Occupational histories are obtained from next-of-kin and co-workers for cases of lymphohematopoietic malignancies (n=167) and cancers of the central nervous system (n=47) and for a control group of deaths due to other causes. More information, Richard Hayes and Patricia Stewart
Case-Control Study of Renal Cell Carcinoma in Eastern Europe
This hospital based case-control study is being conducted to evaluate kidney cancer risks in relation to occupational and other environmental and lifestyle exposures in 6-centers across Eastern Europe (Moscow, Russia; Brno, Prague, and Central Moravia, Czech Republic; Lodz, Poland; Bucharest, Romania). Over a two year period, we interviewed and collected blood from 1100 cancer cases and 1500 controls, and collected tumor tissues from the cases. The study will focus on evaluation of several occupational exposures for which data are inconclusive. DNA from blood will be used for gene-environment interaction studies. DNA from tumor tissue will be used to examine carcinogen fingerprints using mutational spectrum and methylation analyses of the VHL gene, chromosomal arrays, and immunohistochemistry. More information, Lee Moore and Wong-Ho Chow
