rss
Occup Environ Med 2003;60:364-369 doi:10.1136/oem.60.5.364
  • Original article

Increased mortality odds ratio of male liver cancer in a community contaminated by chlorinated hydrocarbons in groundwater

  1. L J-H Lee1,
  2. C-W Chung1,
  3. Y-C Ma2,
  4. G-S Wang2,
  5. P-C Chen1,
  6. Y-H Hwang1,
  7. J-D Wang1
  1. 1Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University
  2. 2Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University
  1. Correspondence to:
 Professor J-D Wang, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, No. 1, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, Taiwan 100;
 jdwang{at}ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
  • Accepted 3 September 2002

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the association between cancer mortality risk and exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons in groundwater of a downstream community near a contaminated site.

Methods: Death certificates inclusive for the years 1966–97 were collected from two villages in the vicinity of an electronics factory operated between 1970 and 1992. These two villages were classified into the downstream (exposed) village and the upstream (unexposed) according to groundwater flow direction. Exposure classification was validated by the contaminant levels in 49 residential wells measured with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Mortality odds ratios (MORs) for cancer were calculated with cardiovascular-cerebrovascular diseases as the reference diseases. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to estimate the effects of exposure and period after adjustment for age.

Results: Increased MORs were observed among males for all cancer, and liver cancer for the periods after 10 years of latency, namely, 1980–89, and 1990–97. Adjusted MOR for male liver cancer was 2.57 (95% confidence interval 1.21 to 5.46) with a significant linear trend for the period effect.

Conclusion: The results suggest a link between exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons and male liver cancer risk. However, the conclusion is limited by lack of individual information on groundwater exposure and potential confounding factors.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Social bookmarking

    Register for free content


    Free sample
     This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of OEM.
    View free sample issue >>

    Free archive
    The full back archive is now available for OEM. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
    Register to access the free archive >>

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.