HISTORICAL COHORT MORTALITY STUDY OF A CONTINUOUS FILAMENT FIBERGLASSMANUFACTURING PLANT .1. WHITE MEN

An historical cohort mortality study of a continuous filament fibergla ss manufacturing plant was undertaken to determine whether an elevated lung cancer risk would be observed on a cohort basis. A nested case-c ontrol study of white male lung cancer deaths was incorporated into th e study design. An interview survey to obtain information on sociodemo graphic factors, including smoking, and an historical environmental re construction to identify elements in the plant environment to which wo rkers might be exposed were included in the study design. Respirable g lass (Beta(TM)) fibers were produced only from 1963 to 1968. The lung cancer odds ratio (OR) among those workers exposed to respirable glass fibers is below unity, as are ORs for exposure to asbestos, refractor y ceramic fibers, respirable silica (except for the lowest exposure le vel), total chrome and arsenic. There is a suggestion of an increase w ith exposure among smokers only for exposure to fomal-dehyde, although the OR for the highest level is based on only one case and is not lik ely to be meaningful. None of these plant exposures suggests an increa se in lung cancer risk for this population. Although the lung cancer s tandardized mortality ratios are slightly elevated, results of the cas e-control investigation confirm that neither respirable glass fibers n or any of the substances investigated as part of the plant environment are associated with an increase in lung cancer risk for this populati on.