Terry Brown

Occupation and cancer in Britain.

Background:Prioritising control measures for occupationally related cancers should be evidence based. We estimated the current burden of cancer in Britain attributable to past occupational exposures for International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) group 1 (established) and 2A (probable) carcinogens.Methods:We calculated attributable fractions and numbers for cancer mortality and incidence using risk estimates from the literature and national data sources to estimate proportions exposed.Results:5.3% (8019) cancer deaths were attributable to occupation in 2005 (men, 8.2% (6362); women, 2.3% (1657)). Attributable incidence estimates are 13u2009679 (4.0%) cancer registrations (men, 10u2009063 (5.7%); women, 3616 (2.2%)). Occupational attributable fractions are over 2% for mesothelioma, sinonasal, lung, nasopharynx, breast, non-melanoma skin cancer, bladder, oesophagus, soft tissue sarcoma, larynx and stomach cancers. Asbestos, shift work, mineral oils, solar radiation, silica, diesel engine exhaust, coal tars and pitches, occupation as a painter or welder, dioxins, environmental tobacco smoke, radon, tetrachloroethylene, arsenic and strong inorganic mists each contribute 100 or more registrations. Industries and occupations with high cancer registrations include construction, metal working, personal and household services, mining, land transport, printing/publishing, retail/hotels/restaurants, public administration/defence, farming and several manufacturing sectors. 56% of cancer registrations in men are attributable to work in the construction industry (mainly mesotheliomas, lung, stomach, bladder and non-melanoma skin cancers) and 54% of cancer registrations in women are attributable to shift work (breast cancer).Conclusion:This project is the first to quantify in detail the burden of cancer and mortality due to occupation specifically for Britain. It highlights the impact of occupational exposures, together with the occupational circumstances and industrial areas where exposures to carcinogenic agents occurred in the past, on population cancer morbidity and mortality; this can be compared with the impact of other causes of cancer. Risk reduction strategies should focus on those workplaces where such exposures are still occurring.

Occupational cancer burden in Great Britain

A sound knowledge base is required to target resources to reduce workplace exposure to carcinogens. This project aimed to provide an objective estimate of the burden of cancer in Britain due to occupation. This volume presents extensive analyses for all carcinogens and occupational circumstances defined as definite or probable human occupational carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. This article outlines the structure of the supplement – two methodological papers (statistical approach and exposure assessment), eight papers presenting the cancer-specific results grouped by broad anatomical site, a paper giving industry sector results and one discussing work-related cancer-prevention strategies. A brief summary of the methods and an overview of the updated overall results are given in this introductory paper. A general discussion of the overall strengths and limitations of the study is also presented. Overall, 8010 (5.3%) total cancer deaths in Britain and 13,u2009598 cancer registrations were attributable to occupation in 2005 and 2004, respectively. The importance of cancer sites such as mesothelioma, sinonasal, lung, nasopharynx, breast, non-melanoma skin cancer, bladder, oesophagus, soft tissue sarcoma and stomach cancers are highlighted, as are carcinogens such as asbestos, mineral oils, solar radiation, silica, diesel engine exhaust, coal tars and pitches, dioxins, environmental tobacco smoke, radon, tetrachloroethylene, arsenic and strong inorganic mists, as well as occupational circumstances such as shift work and occupation as a painter or welder. The methods developed for this project are being adapted by other countries and extended to include social and economic impact evaluation.

The Applicability of Epidemiological Methods to the Assessment of the Risks to Human Health of Indoor Air Pollution: An Overview

Western populations spend the vast majority of their time indoors, and can be exposed to a range of indoor pollutants that may have adverse effects on health. Scientists and regulators need to be able to understand and quantify the nature of the potential risks posed by the indoor environment. Epidemiological methods are available to investigate relationships between indoor pollutant exposure and health impacts, but involve many assumptions and have inherent uncertainties. To establish an accurate understanding of the knowledge base and a sound interpretation of the significance of the results obtained, it is essential that epidemiological study findings are not accepted uncritically and that the advantages/weaknesses of each design are fully understood. This overview identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the various epidemiological techniques used to study indoor air pollution, and considers the place of epidemiological data within the wider weight of evidence considerations necessary to establish causality of associations and accurately determine potential risk. It is evident that epidemiology remains a key science in the study of associations between indoor air pollutants and diseases like asthma, and a number of recommendations are made that may improve the application of this methodology and the interpretation of derived results.

Relationships between socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and indoor air quality in French dwellings

BACKGROUNDnTo date, few studies have analyzed the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and indoor air quality (IAQ).nnnOBJECTIVEnThe aim of this study was to examine the relationships between socioeconomic and other factors and indoor air pollutant levels in French homes.nnnMETHODSnThe indoor air concentrations of thirty chemical, biological and physical parameters were measured over one week in a sample of 567 dwellings representative of the French housing stock between September 2003 and December 2005. Information on SES (household structure, educational attainment, income, and occupation), building characteristics, and occupants habits and activities (smoking, cooking, cleaning, etc.) were collected through administered questionnaires. Separate stepwise linear regression models were fitted to log-transformed concentrations on SES and other factors. Logistic regression was performed on fungal contamination data.nnnRESULTSnHouseholds with lower income were more likely to have higher indoor concentrations of formaldehyde, but lower perchloroethylene indoor concentrations. Formaldehyde indoor concentrations were also associated with newly built buildings. Smoking was associated with increasing acetaldehyde and PM2.5 levels and the risk of a positive fungal contamination index. BTEX levels were also associated with occupant density and having an attached garage. The major predictors for fungal contamination were dampness and absolute humidity.nnnCONCLUSIONnThese results, obtained from a large sample of dwellings, show for the first time in France the relationships between SES factors and indoor air pollutants, and believe they should be considered alongside occupant activities and building characteristics when study IAQ in homes.

Application of the maximum cumulative ratio (MCR) as a screening tool for the evaluation of mixtures in residential indoor air

The maximum cumulative ratio (MCR) method allows the categorisation of mixtures according to whether the mixture is of concern for toxicity and if so whether this is driven by one substance or multiple substances. The aim of the present study was to explore, by application of the MCR approach, whether health risks due to indoor air pollution are dominated by one substance or are due to concurrent exposure to various substances. Analysis was undertaken on monitoring data of four European indoor studies (giving five datasets), involving 1800 records of indoor air or personal exposure. Application of the MCR methodology requires knowledge of the concentrations of chemicals in a mixture together with health-based reference values for those chemicals. For this evaluation, single substance health-based reference values (RVs) were selected through a structured review process. The MCR analysis found high variability in the proportion of samples of concern for mixture toxicity. The fraction of samples in these groups of concern varied from 2% (Flemish schools) to 77% (EXPOLIS, Basel, indoor), the variation being due not only to the variation in indoor air contaminant levels across the studies but also to other factors such as differences in number and type of substances monitored, analytical performance, and choice of RVs. However, in 4 out of the 5 datasets, a considerable proportion of cases were found where a chemical-by-chemical approach failed to identify the need for the investigation of combined risk assessment. Although the MCR methodology applied in the current study provides no consideration of commonality of endpoints, it provides a tool for discrimination between those mixtures requiring further combined risk assessment and those for which a single-substance assessment is sufficient.

Crystalline silica in heated man-made vitreous fibres: A review

Refractory ceramic fibres (RCF) and alkaline earth silicate (AES) wools are types of man-made vitreous fibre (MMVF) that are used in demanding high-temperature industrial applications, generally above 900 °C and up to 1400 °C. When exposed to prolonged high temperatures, MMVF can devitrify with the formation of cristobalite and other crystalline silica species, which is of potential concern because crystalline silica (CS) is classified as carcinogenic. This article reviews the chemico-physical processes and morphological consequences of fibre devitrification, the forms and micro-location of CS produced, and the toxicity of devitrified fibres and the CS species formed in this way. It also examines scenarios for worker exposure to the products of fibre devitrification in industries using RCF and/or AES wools. We identify gaps in knowledge and make recommendations for future research.

How much does benzene contribute to the overall burden of cancer due to occupation

(2008),doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2009.11.007This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication.As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript.Themanuscriptwillundergocopyediting,typesetting,andreviewoftheresultingproofbefore it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production processerrors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers thatapply to the journal pertain.Chemico-Biological Interactions, Volume 184, Issues 1-2, 19 March 2010, Pages 290-292