CANCER INCIDENCE OF SULFITE PULP WORKERS IN DENMARK

Objectives studies have indicated an excess risk of stomach cancer, pa ncreas cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for sulfite pulp mill worker s, and therefore cancer incidence was evaluated for 2 Danish sulfite m ills. Methods Altogether 2238 workers employed in 1955-1990 were inclu ded in a historic cohort and followed until 31 December 1993. National cancer rates were used to calculate the expected number of cancer cas es. Results The overall cancer risk was close to the expected, the sta ndardized incidence ratio (SIR) being 1.01. The risk of stomach cancer was doubled [10 observed, SIR 1.99, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.95-3.66], as was the risk of pancreatic cancer (7 observed, SIR 1.88 , 95% CI 0.75-3.88). For the men with known pulp exposure, lung cancer was slightly increased (SIR 1.53, 95% CI 0.94-2.37). Other cancers wi th elevated risks were leukemia (7 observed, SIR 1.84) and soft-tissue sarcomas (4 observed, SIR 2.37). The risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma w as not increased. Conclusions The excess risk of stomach cancer and pa ncreatic cancer found in this study was in accordance with that of oth er studies from sulfite pulp mills.