A case-control study of skin cancer in the tire and rubber manufacturing industry
Corresponding Author
Claire C. Bourguet PhD
Division of Community Health Sciences, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Roots-town
Division of Community Health Sciences, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 4209 State Route 44, P.O. Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272Search for more papers by this authorHarvey Checkoway PhD
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Search for more papers by this authorBarbara S. Hulka MD, MPH
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Claire C. Bourguet PhD
Division of Community Health Sciences, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Roots-town
Division of Community Health Sciences, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 4209 State Route 44, P.O. Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272Search for more papers by this authorHarvey Checkoway PhD
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Search for more papers by this authorBarbara S. Hulka MD, MPH
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
A case-control study was conducted in the tire and rubber manufacturing industry to examine the association of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin with rubber manufacturing materials presumed to be contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Sixty-five cases were compared to 254 matched controls for exposure to carbon black, extender oils, lubricating oils, rubber solvents, and rubber stock. Both magnitude and duration of exposure were compared using data from company personnel records. Rubber stock and lubricating oils were associated with skin cancer. The relative risk (RR) associated with the highest levels of rubber stock exposure was 2.2, and with the highest level of lubricating oil exposure it was 6.5. In analysis of subgroups of study members, the associations were strongest among workers who were born after 1900 (rubber stock, RR = 11.6; lubricating oil, RR = 4.5) and among workers whose skin cancer was diagnosed before the age of seventy (rubber stock, RR = 23.2; lubricating oil, RR = 28.3).
References
- Blow CM. (1971): “ Rubber Technology and Manufacturing”. Cleveland: The Chemical Rubber Company Press.
- Breslow NE, Day NE. (1980): “ Statistical Methods in Cancer Research, Vol. 1—The Analysis of Case-Control Studies.” Lyon: IARC
-
Cook JW,
Hewett CL,
Hieger, I.
(1933):
Isolation of a cancer producing hydrocarbon from coal tar.
J Chem Soc
1933:
395–405.
10.1039/jr9330000395 Google Scholar
- Cruickshank, CND, Squire JR. (1950): Skin cancer in the engineering industry from the use of mineral oil. Br J Ind Med 7: 1–11.
- Epstein JH. (1977): Chemical and photocarcinogenesis. Aust J Dermatol 18: 57–61.
- Falk HL, Steiner PE. (1952): The adsorption of 3,4-benzpyrene and pyrene by carbon black. Cancer Res 12: 40–43.
- Falk HL, Steiner PE, Goldfein, S, Breslow, A, Hykes, R. (1951): Carcinogenic hydrocarbons and related compounds in processed rubber. Cancer Res 11: 318–324.
- Gamble, J, Spirtas, R. (1976): Job classification and utilization of complete work histories in occupational epidemiology. J Occup Med 18: 399–404.
- Gordon, D, Silverstone, H. (1976): Worldwide epidemiology of premalignant and malignant cutaneous lesions. In R Andrade, SL Gumpert, GL Popkin, TD Rees (Eds): “ Cancer of the Skin.” Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (1972): “ Monograph on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk to humans: Certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds,” Vol. 3. Lyon: IARC.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (1982): “ Monograph on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk to Man: The Rubber Industry,” Vol. 28. Lyon: IARC.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (1983): “ Monograph on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Humans: Polynuclear Aromatic Compounds, Part 1, Chemical, Environmental and Experimental data,” Vol. 32. Lyon: IARC.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (1984): “ Monograph on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk to Man: Polynuclear Aromatic Compounds, Part 2, Carbon Blacks, Mineral Oils, and Some Nitroarenes,” Vol. 33. Lyon: IARC.
- Kennaway EL, Hieger, I. (1930): Carcinogenic substances and their fluorescence spectra. Br Med J 1: 1044–1046.
- Lee WR. (1976): Occupational aspects of scrotal cancer and epithelioma. Ann NY Acad Sci 271: 138–142.
- Locati, G, Fantuzzi, A, Consonni, G, LiGotti, I, Bonomi, G. (1979): Identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in carbon black with reference to cancerogenic risk in tire production. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 40: 644–652.
- Low, H. (1977): Petroleum extender oils. Paper presented at Rubber Division, American Chemical Society, Cleveland, OH.
- MacDonald EJ. (1975): Epidemiology of skin cancer. In M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute: “ Neoplasms of the Skin and Malignant Melanoma.” Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers.
- Mantel, N. (1963): Chi-square tests with one degree of freedom: Extensions of the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. J Am Stat Assoc 58: 690–700.
- Monson RR, Fine LJ. (1978): Cancer mortality and morbidity among rubber workers. JNCI 61: 1047–1053.
- Morton, M. (1973): “ Rubber Technology.” New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.
- Nau CA, Neal, J, Stembridge, V. (1958): A study of the physiological effects of carbon black. II. Skin contact. AMA Arch Ind Health 18: 511–520.
- Neal, J, Thornton, M, Nau CA. (1962): Polycyclic hydrocarbon elution from carbon black or rubber products. Arch Environ Health 4: 598–606.
- Pott, P. (1775): Chirurgical observations relative to the cataract, the polypus of the nose, the cancer of the scrotum, the different kinds of ruptures, and the mortification of the toes and feet. London: Hower, Clarke, and Pollius.
-
Qazi AH,
Nau CA.
(1975):
Identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in semi-reinforcing carbon black.
Am Ind Hyg Assoc J
1975:
187–192.
10.1080/0002889758507234 Google Scholar
- Roush GC, Meigs JW, Kelly, J, Flannery JT, Burdo, K. (1980): Sinonasal cancer and occupation: A case-control study. Am J Epidemiol 111: 183–193.
- Roush GC, Kelly JA, Meigs JW, Flannery JT. (1982): Scrotal carcinoma in Connecticut metal workers. Am J Epidemiol 116: 76–85.
-
Smith CG,
Nau CA,
Lawrence Ch.
(1968):
Separation and identification of polycyclic hydrocarbons in rubber dust.
Am Ind Hyg Assoc J
1968:
242–247.
10.1080/00028896809342996 Google Scholar
- Steiner PE. (1954): The conditional biologic activity of the carcinogens in carbon black and its elimination. Cancer Res 14: 103–110.
- Urbach, F. (1959): Modification of ultraviolet carcinogens by photoactive agents. J Invest Dermatol 32: 373–378.
- Vana, J. (1979): Epidemiology. In F Helm (Ed): “ Cancer Dermatology.” Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger, pp 3–15.
- Von Haam, E, Mallette FS. (1952): Studies on the toxicity and skin effects of compounds used in the rubber industry. Arch Ind Hyg 6: 237–242.
- Waterhouse, JAH. (1971): Cutting oils and cancer. Ann Occup Hyg 14: 161–170.
- Winspear GG. (1968): “ The Vanderbilt Rubber Handbook.” New York: RT Vanderbilt Co.
