Cancer Incidence of Workers in the Finnish Pulp and Paper Industry

The cancer incidence of 3 545 workers in the Finnish pulp and paper industry was assessed in a retrospective cohort study. The cohort included workers with continuous employment of at least one year between 1 January 1945 and 31 December 1961 and was followed until 31 December 1980. Six subcohorts w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Environment ＆ Health, 1987-06, Vol.13 (3), p.197-202
Main Authors: Jäppinen, Paavo, Hakulinen, Timo, Pukkala, Eero, Tola, Sakari, Kurppa, Kari
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cancer incidence
Digestion
Female
Finland
Hodgkin disease
Humans
Lung neoplasms
Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology
Male
Neoplasms - epidemiology
Occupational Diseases - epidemiology
Paper mills
Pulp and paper industry
Pulp mills
Retrospective Studies
Sulfates
Sulfites
Tobacco smoking
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Summary:The cancer incidence of 3 545 workers in the Finnish pulp and paper industry was assessed in a retrospective cohort study. The cohort included workers with continuous employment of at least one year between 1 January 1945 and 31 December 1961 and was followed until 31 December 1980. Six subcohorts were formed (sulfite mill, sulfate mill, paper mill, board mill, maintenance department, and power plant). Separate analyses were made for the 2 597 workers hired after 1 January 1945. The smoking habits were surveyed. Among the men, 196 cases of primary cancer were detected versus 203.8 expected [standardized incidence ratio (SIR) 96, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 82—114], and there were 47 cancer cases among the women versus 57.9 expected (SIR 91, 95 % CI 60—108). Lung cancer occurred in 78 men (62.6 expected, SIR 125, 95 % CI 98—155), and the excess was the most prominent for the male board mill workers (40 observed, 18.1 expected, SIR 222, 95 % CI 158—302), particularly after 20 years' latency (25 observed, 7.8 expected, SIR 323, 95 % CI 209—476). Analogous excesses of lung cancer occurred among the men (especially the male board mill workers) who began work after 1 January 1945. The findings were not explained by smoking habits.
ISSN:0355-3140
1795-990X
DOI:10.5271/sjweh.2064