RISK OF CANCER AND EXPOSURE TO GASOLINE VAPORS

Until the introduction of self-service around 1970, service station wo rkers in the Nordic countries were exposed to gasoline vapors. Based o n measurements reported in the literature, the 8-hour time-weighted av erage benzene exposure was estimated to be in the range of 0.5-1 mg/m( 3). We studied the cancer incidence in a cohort of 19,000 service stat ion workers from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. They were ident ified from the 1970 censuses and followed through 20 years, where 1,30 0 incident cancers were observed. National incidence rates were used f or comparison. The incidence was not increased for leukemia (observed = 28, standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 0.9, 95% confidence interva l (Cl) 0.6-1.3) nor for acute myeloid leukemia (observed = 13, SIR = 1 .3, 95% Cl 0.7-2.1). The incidence was slightly elevated for kidney ca ncer (observed = 57, SIR = 1.3, 95% Cl 1.0-1.7) and for pharyngeal, la ryngeal, and lung cancer. A 3.5-fold risk of nasal cancer was found (o bserved = 12, SIR = 3.5, 95% Cl 1.8-6.1). This cohort exposed to gasol ine vapors with benzene levels estimated to be 0.5-1 mg/m(3) showed no excess risk of leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia, a 30% elevated ris k of kidney cancer, and a previously unnoticed risk of nasal cancer.