CANCER INCIDENCE OF WORKERS IN THE SWEDISH PETROLEUM-INDUSTRY

Objectives-To estimate the risk of cancer due to occupational exposure to petroleum products in the Swedish transport and refinery industrie s. Methods-In a retrospective cohort study the cancer incidence in 412 8 men and 191 women, who had worked for at least one year in the petro leum industry, was compared with the incidence in the general populati on. The job titles and employment times for each person were found in personal files in the industries. The men had on average worked in job s exposed to petroleum for 11.6 years at the end of the observation pe riod. The cases of cancer were identified by record linkage with the S wedish cancer register. Results-In total there were 146 cases of cance r v 157.6 expected (standardised mortality ratio (SMR) 0.93 90% confid ence interval (90% CI) 0.80 to 1.1). Operators at refineries had an in creased risk of leukaemia (6 cases v 1.7 expected, 90% CI of relative risk (RR) 1.5 to 7.0), Five of the six cases had started to work at th e refineries in the 1950s or later. No other significantly increased r isk of cancer was found. Distribution workers had a decreased incidenc e of lung cancer (no cases, 90% CI of RR 0 to 0.4). Conclusions-Operat or at Swedish refineries had an increased risk of leukaemia. A possibl e cause is exposure to benzene. There was no increased risk of leukaem ia in distribution workers. Distribution workers had a decreased risk of lung cancer.