Cancer mortality and exposure to nickel and chromium compounds in a cohort of Italian electroplaters

Background Nickel and chromium‐VI compounds are carcinogens for lung cancer, although it is still debated if there is an increased risk at low levels of exposure and for other cancers. Methods In a cohort of 2991 Italian electroplaters, a proportion of whom were exposed to low levels of nickel and/o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of industrial medicine 2019-02, Vol.62 (2), p.99-110
Main Authors: Sciannameo, Veronica, Ricceri, Fulvio, Soldati, Simona, Scarnato, Corrado, Gerosa, Alberto, Giacomozzi, Giuseppe, d'Errico, Angelo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Cancer
Carcinogens
Chromium
Chromium compounds
Chromium Compounds - adverse effects
Chromium Compounds - analysis
Cohort analysis
Cohort Studies
Electroplating
epidemiology
Exposure
Exposure limits
Female
Health risk assessment
Health risks
Heavy metals
Humans
Italy - epidemiology
Kidney cancer
Lung cancer
Lung Neoplasms - chemically induced
Lung Neoplasms - mortality
Male
Manufacturing Industry
Maximum Allowable Concentration
Metal concentrations
Mortality
Neoplasms - chemically induced
Neoplasms - mortality
Nickel
Nickel - adverse effects
Nickel - analysis
Nickel compounds
occupational
Occupational Diseases - mortality
Occupational exposure
Occupational Exposure - adverse effects
Occupational Exposure - analysis
Occupational health
Proportional Hazards Models
Rectum
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background Nickel and chromium‐VI compounds are carcinogens for lung cancer, although it is still debated if there is an increased risk at low levels of exposure and for other cancers. Methods In a cohort of 2991 Italian electroplaters, a proportion of whom were exposed to low levels of nickel and/or chromium, cumulative exposure to their compounds was obtained by multiplying average concentrations of the metals in each electroplating tank by duration of employment in the company. The association of exposure to compounds with mortality was assessed by multivariable Cox models. Results No cancer site was associated with chromium exposure controlling for nickel, whereas exposure to nickel significantly increased mortality from lung, rectal, and kidney cancers, even after adjusting for exposure to chromium. Conclusions Study results suggest that exposure to nickel compounds may increase the risk of lung cancer even below its occupational exposure limit and indicate possible associations with other cancer sites.
ISSN:0271-3586
1097-0274
DOI:10.1002/ajim.22941