RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Digestive cancers and occupational asbestos exposure: incidence study in a cohort of asbestos plant workers
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 792
OP 797
DO 10.1136/oemed-2015-102871
VO 72
IS 11
A1 Boulanger, Mathilde
A1 Morlais, Fabrice
A1 Bouvier, Véronique
A1 Galateau-Salle, Françoise
A1 Guittet, Lydia
A1 Marquignon, Marie-France
A1 Paris, Christophe
A1 Raffaelli, Claude
A1 Launoy, Guy
A1 Clin, Bénédicte
YR 2015
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/72/11/792.abstract
AB Objective The aim of our study was to estimate the incidence of digestive cancers within a cohort of asbestos-exposed workers.Methods Our study was based on a cohort of 2024 participants occupationally exposed to asbestos. The incidence of digestive cancers was calculated from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 2009 and compared with levels among the local general population using Standardised Incidence Ratios (SIRs). Asbestos exposure was assessed using the company’s job-exposure matrix.Results 119 cases of digestive cancer were observed within our cohort, for an expected number of 77 (SIR=1.54 (1.28 to 1.85)). A significantly elevated incidence was observed for peritoneal mesothelioma, particularly in women. Significantly elevated incidences were also observed among men for: all digestive cancers, even when excluding peritoneal mesothelioma (SIR=1.50 (1.23 to 1.82)), oesophageal cancer (SIR=1.67 (1.08 to 2.47)) and liver cancer (SIR=1.85 (1.09 to 2.92)). Concerning colorectal cancer, a significant excess of risk was observed for men with exposure duration above 25 years (SIR=1.75 (1.05 to 2.73)).Conclusions Our results are in favour of a link between long-duration asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer in men. They also suggest a relationship between asbestos exposure and cancer of the oesophagus in men. Finally, our results suggest a possible association with small intestine and liver cancers in men.