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Abstract

Title: Mortality among benzene-exposed workers in China.
Author: Hayes RB, Yin SN, Dosemeci M, Li GL, Wacholder S, Chow WH, Rothman N, Wang YZ, Dai TR, Chao XJ, Jiang ZL, Ye PZ, Zhao HB, Kou QR, Zhang WY, Meng JF, Zho JS, Lin XF, Ding CY, Li CY, Zhang ZN, Li DG, Travis LB, Blot WJ, Linet MS
Journal: Environ Health Perspect 104 Suppl 6:1349-1352
Year: 1996
Month: December

Abstract: A large cohort of 74,828 benzene-exposed and 35,805 nonexposed workers employed between 1972 and 1987 in 12 cities in China was followed to determine mortality from all causes. Benzene-exposed study subjects were employed in a variety of occupations including coating applications, and rubber, chemical, and shoe production. Mortality was slightly increased among workers with greater cumulative exposure to benzene (ptrend < 0.05), but this excess was largely due to cancer deaths (ptrend < 0.01). Deaths due to lymphatic and hematopoietic malignancies (ptrend = 0.01) and lung cancer (ptrend = 0.01) increased with increasing cumulative exposure to benzene. Investigations continue to relate benzene exposure to specific lymphatic and hematopoietic malignancies and other causes of death.