CANCER MORTALITY AMONG WORKERS IN THE GERMAN RUBBER INDUSTRY - 1981-91

Objectives-To determine the cancer specific mortality of active and re tired workers of the German rubber industry with emphasis on cancer si tes which have been associated with the rubber industry in previous st udies. Methods-A cohort of 11 663 German men was followed up for morta lity from 1 January 1981 to 31 December 1991. Cohort members were acti ve (n = 7536) or retired (n = 4127) at the beginning of the study, and had been employed for at least one year in one of five study plants p roducing tyres or general rubber goods. Vital status was ascertained f or 99.7% of the cohort members, and cause of death found for 96.8% of the 2719 decedents. Age and calendar year adjusted standardised mortal ity ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated overall from national reference rates and stratified by year of hire and by years since hire. Results-Mortalities from all causes (SMR 108; 95% CI 104-112) and all cancers (SMR 111; 95% CI 103-119) were signif icantly increased in the study cohort. Significant excesses in the mor talities from lung cancer (SIMR 130; 95% CI 115-147) and pleural cance r (SMR 401; 95% CI 234-642) were identified. SMRs higher than 100 were found for cancers of the pharynx (SMR 144; 95% CI 76-246), oesophagus (SMR 120; 95% CI 74-183), stomach (SIMR 110; 95% CI 86-139), rectum ( SMR 123; 95% CI 86-170), larynx (SMR 129; 95% CI 69-221), prostate (SM R 108; 95% CI 84-136), and bladder (SMR 124; 95% CI 86-172), as well a s for leukaemia (SMR 148; 95% CI 99-213). Mortalities from liver cance r, brain cancer, and lymphoma were lower than expected. Conclusions-Mo rtalities from cancer of several sites previously associated with the rubber industry were also increased among workers of the German rubber industry. Results of the stratified analyses are consistent with a ro le of occupational exposure in the aetiology of some of these cancers.