Cancer incidence and mortality of isocyanate exposed workers from the Swedish polyurethane foam industry: updated findings 1959–98

Abstract

Aims: To assess whether cancer incidence and mortality in chronic obstructive lung diseases were increased in the Swedish polyurethane foam industry cohort, updated with 11 more years of follow up.

Methods: The mortality and cancer incidence (1959–98) experienced by a cohort of 4175 male and female employees employed for at least one year in the period 1959–87 at one of nine Swedish polyurethane foaming plants were investigated. Comparisons were based on calendar year, sex, and five-year age group specific mortality and incidence rates for Sweden. Workplaces and job tasks were categorically assessed for exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and methylene diphenyldiisocyanate (MDI) by occupational hygienists.

Results: Fewer cancer cases than expected were observed, but the lung cancer incidence was enhanced in women. Women with “apparent exposure” to TDI or MDI did not, however, have a higher lung cancer incidence than those with “no or low exposure”. Moreover, a nested case referent study did not find that polyurethane dust exposure had been more prevalent among the female lung cancer cases than among referents. No increased mortality in chronic obstructive lung diseases was observed in the cohort.

Conclusions: Results support the findings from two other cohort studies of an increased lung cancer risk among female workers in the polyurethane foam manufacturing industry. Chance or confounding from smoking are not obvious explanations for the coherent findings. However, the study was not able to link isocyanate exposed employment with lung cancer risk.