Proportionate cancer mortality among workers in the Belarussian tanning industry

• Published in: American journal of industrial medicine 2003-12, Vol.44 (6), p.637-642
• Main Authors: Veyalkin, Ilya V., Milyutin, Alexander A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; buccal cavity-pharynx; cancer; Cohort Studies; corpus and cervix uteri; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; kidney; Male; Medical sciences; melanoma and skin; Neoplasms - etiology; Neoplasms - mortality; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Occupational Diseases - mortality; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; pancreas; Pancreatic Neoplasms - etiology; Pancreatic Neoplasms - mortality; Republic of Belarus; tannery; Tanning; Tumors; workers
• ISSN: 0271-3586; 1097-0274
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.10275

Background The tanning industry involves many occupational exposures. This study evaluates proportionate cancer mortality among workers employed in the Belarussian tanning plant in Minsk. Methods A total of 768 workers with seniority of not less than 6 months who were hired after January 1, 1953 and died before December 31, 2000 was investigated. Proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated using the population of Minsk to generate expected numbers. Results Among women employed in the tannery, there was a significant excess of pancreatic cancer, based on eight deaths (expected = 2.56, PMR = 3.13, 95% CI = 1.35–6.17). Six of the eight pancreatic cancer deaths occurred among women occupied in dyeing–stuffing workshops (expected = 1.64, PMR = 3.67, 95% CI = 1.34–7.97), all among workers hired between 1962 and 1984 (expected = 1.06, PMR = 6.54, 95% CI = 2.6–13.4). Conclusions Women in this tanning industry cohort experienced excess mortality of cancer of the pancreas, with suggested increases of corpus and cervix uteri, melanoma, and kidney cancers. For men, an insignificant increase in PMR of oral cavity–pharynx and pancreatic cancers was seen. Further prospective follow‐up of living members of this cohort, will allow more in‐depth analysis of rare cancer sites, latency, and duration of employment, and is warranted. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:637–642, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.