Table 2

Duration and concentration of occupational exposure2-150 to formaldehyde relative to risk of nasopharyngeal cancer by histological type

Exposure to formaldehydeControls (n=244)
n
Cases
All epithelialUndifferentiated and non-keratinisingDifferentiated squamous cellEpithelial
(n=196)
n
OR2-151 (95% CI)(n=54)
n
OR2-151 (95% CI)(n=118)
n
OR2-151 (95% CI)(n=24)
n
OR2-151 (95% CI)
Unexposed1651171.0 (reference)361.0 (reference)691.0 (reference)121.0 (reference)
Ever exposed 79 791.3 (0.8 to 2.1)180.9 (0.4 to 2.0)491.5 (0.8 to 2.7)123.1 (1.0 to 9.6)
Maximum exposure (ppm):
 <0.10 56 601.4 (0.8 to 2.4)141.0 (0.4 to 2.4)351.6 (0.8 to 3.0)114.0 (1.2 to 13.1)
 0.10–0.50 19 140.9 (0.4 to 2.3) 30.5 (0.1 to 3.1)101.2 (0.4 to 3.3) 11.5 (0.2 to 13.9)
 >0.50  4  51.6 (0.3 to 7.1) 11.5 (0.2 to 14.7) 42.1 (0.4 to 12.3) 00
 Trend testp=0.57p=0.72p=0.32p=0.46
Duration (y):
 1–5 41 240.8 (0.4 to 1.6) 80.7 (0.3 to 2.2)120.8 (0.3 to 2.0) 42.0 (0.4 to 9.8)
 6–17 19 261.6 (0.7 to 3.4) 61.0 (0.2 to 3.9)171.8 (0.7 to 4.3) 34.0 (0.9 to 18.6)
 ⩾18 19 292.1 (1.0 to 4.5) 41.2 (0.3 to 4.8)202.5 (1.1 to 5.9) 54.2 (0.8 to 21.5)
 Trend testp=0.070p=0.82p=0.033p=0.036
  • 2-150 Includes jobs with estimated probability of exposure of possible or higher.

  • 2-151 ORs adjusted for age, sex, race, SEER site, cigarette use, proxy status and education. Confidence intervals (CI) in parentheses.