December/January 2007/2008 (vol. 04/4)

ContentsFeaturesResearch PlusCPD

Research Plus

Occupational risks for pancreatic cancer

Around 216,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer occur annually around the world. Tobacco smoking and type II diabetes mellitus are established risk factors, but evidence of occupational exposure risks has been inconsistent. A meta-analysis of 261 papers used job titles as the basis for an analysis of risk and found excess cancer risk in laundry and dry cleaning workers, metal-plating workers, printers and pressmen, and fibreboard and plywood workers. Exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons was a significant risk factor (meta-relative risk = 2.21; 95% credible interval 1.31–3.68).

Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 2007; 33(5) 325–335.  http://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=1153

Tags

Occupational Health at Work December/January 2007/2008 (vol. 04/4) pp39