Publication related to RSI or an RSI staff member
Lifetime occupational exposure to metals and welding fumes, and risk of glioma: a 7-country population-based case-control study.
BACKGROUND: Brain tumor etiology is poorly understood. Based on their ability to pass through the blood-brain barrier, it has been hypothesized that exposure to metals may increase the risk of brain cancer. Results from the few epidemiological studies on this issue are limited and inconsistent. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between glioma risk and occupational exposure to five metals – lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium and iron- as well as to welding fumes, using data from the seven-country INTEROCC study. A total of 1800 incident glioma cases and 5160 controls aged 30-69 years were included in the analysis. Lifetime occupational exposure to the agents was assessed using the INTEROCC JEM, a modified version of the Finnish job exposure matrix FINJEM. RESULTS: In general, cases had a slightly higher prevalence of exposure to the various metals and welding fumes than did controls, with the prevalence among ever exposed ranging between 1.7 and 2.2% for cadmium to 10.2 and 13.6% for iron among controls and cases, respectively. However, in multivariable logistic regression analyses, there was no association between ever exposure to any of the agents and risk of glioma with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) ranging from 0.8 (0.7-1.0) for lead to 1.1 (0.7-1.6) for cadmium. Results were consistent across models considering cumulative exposure or duration, as well as in all sensitivity analyses conducted. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this large-scale international study provide no evidence for an association between occupational exposure to any of the metals under scrutiny or welding fumes, and risk of glioma.
Authors
- Parent, Marie-Elise, Parent ME, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531, Boul. Des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada. marie-elise.parent@iaf.inrs.ca.; School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. marie-elise.parent@iaf.inrs.ca.; University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Canada. marie-elise.parent@iaf.inrs.ca.
- Turner, Michelle C, Turner MC, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.; McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
- Lavoue, Jerome, Lavoue J, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.; University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Canada.
- Richard, Hugues, Richard H, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531, Boul. Des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, H7V 1B7, Canada.
- Figuerola, Jordi, Figuerola J, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Kincl, Laurel, Kincl L, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
- Richardson, Lesley, Richardson L, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Canada.
- Benke, Geza, Benke G, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Blettner, Maria, Blettner M, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- Fleming, Sarah, Fleming S, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
- Hours, Martine, Hours M, Unité Mixte de Recherche Epidémiologique Transport Travail Environnement Université Lyon 1/IFSTTAR, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.
- Krewski, Daniel, Krewski D, McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.; School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Disease Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
- McLean, David, McLean D, Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Sadetzki, Siegal, Sadetzki S, The Cancer & Radiation Epidemiology Unit, The Gertner Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
- Schlaefer, Klaus, Schlaefer K, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Schlehofer, Brigitte, Schlehofer B, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Schuz, Joachim, Schuz J, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Section of Environment and Radiation, Lyon, France.
- Siemiatycki, Jack, Siemiatycki J, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.; University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Canada.
- van Tongeren, Martie, van Tongeren M, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, UK.; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centre for Epidemiology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Cardis, Elisabeth, Cardis E, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
BACKGROUND: Brain tumor etiology is poorly understood. Based on their ability to pass through the blood-brain barrier, it has been hypothesized that exposure to metals may increase the risk of brain cancer. Results from the few epidemiological studies on this issue are limited and inconsistent. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between glioma risk and occupational exposure to five metals - lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium and iron- as well as to welding fumes, using data from the seven-country INTEROCC study. A total of 1800 incident glioma cases and 5160 controls aged 30-69 years were included in the analysis. Lifetime occupational exposure to the agents was assessed using the INTEROCC JEM, a modified version of the Finnish job exposure matrix FINJEM. RESULTS: In general, cases had a slightly higher prevalence of exposure to the various metals and welding fumes than did controls, with the prevalence among ever exposed ranging between 1.7 and 2.2% for cadmium to 10.2 and 13.6% for iron among controls and cases, respectively. However, in multivariable logistic regression analyses, there was no association between ever exposure to any of the agents and risk of glioma with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) ranging from 0.8 (0.7-1.0) for lead to 1.1 (0.7-1.6) for cadmium. Results were consistent across models considering cumulative exposure or duration, as well as in all sensitivity analyses conducted. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this large-scale international study provide no evidence for an association between occupational exposure to any of the metals under scrutiny or welding fumes, and risk of glioma.
