Table 23.
Epidemiological studies of occupational exposure to aluminium and cancer.
| Reference | Study Location | Design | Exposure | Outcome | Association | Significance | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong et al. (2004) | 4 countries | Meta-analysis: 36 cohorts – 3 case-controls samples – 1 case cohort | PAH | Lung cancer | +/- | ||
| Moulin et al. (2000) | France, 1950- 1994 | Cohort of male workers from an aluminium reduction plant (n=2,133) 335 died. | Proxy for PAH | Bladder cancer (7) | SMR = 1.77 (0.71-3.64) | - | - few events |
| Lung cancer (19) | SMR = 0.63 (0.38-0.98) | + | - a possible negative confounding by smoking (for lung cancer) | ||||
| Romundstad et al. (2000b) | Norway, 1953- 1996 | Cohort of male workers from an aluminium plant (n=11,103). | Job exposure matrix for PAH | Bladder cancer (130) | SIR = 1.3 (1.1-1.5) | + | - adjusted for smoking habits |
| Lung cancer (189) | SIR = 1. (0.9-1.2) | - | - 6 study plants | ||||
| Kidney cancer (55) | SIR = 1.1 (0.8-1.4) | - | |||||
| Pancreatic cancer (46) | SIR = 0.9 (0.7-1.2) | - | |||||
| Romundstad et al. (2000a) | Norway, 1953- 1995 | Cohort of male workers from an aluminium plant (n=1,790). | Job exposure matrix for PAH | Bladder cancer (23) | SIR = 1.3 (0.8-1.9) | - | - adjusted for smoking habits |
| Lung cancer (27) | SIR = 0.9 (0.6-1.3) | - | - only one study plant (limited study size) | ||||
| Ronneberg et al.. (1999) | Norway, 1953- 1993 | Cohort of male workers from an aluminium smelter (n=5,908). | PAH | Bladder cancer (36) (production subcohort) | SIR = 1.52 for ≥ 1200μg/m3 (p =0.03 for trend) | + | - bladder cancer and PAH exposure 30 years or more before observation |
| Lung cancer (93) | SIR = 0.96 (0.69-1.29) | - | - significant excess of lung cancers for short-term workers (<4 years) | ||||
| Selden et al. (1997) | Sweden, 1958-1992 | Cohort of workers from aluminium foundries and secondary aluminium smelters (n=6,454). | Proxy for PAH | Bladder cancer (19) | SIR = 0.87 (0.52-1.36) | - | - lung cancer risks higher in short duration of employment (< 5 years) |
| Lung cancer (51) | SIR = 1.49 (1.11-1.96) | + | - anorectal cancers not etiologically linked to occupational risk factors | ||||
| Anorectal cancer (33) | SIR = 2.13 (1.47-2.99) | + | |||||
| Sinonasal cancer (4) | SIR = 4.70 (1.28-12.01) | + | |||||
| Schroeder et al. (1997) | U.S., 1941-1985 | Case-controls study of automotive workers (667 cases, 3,041 matched controls) | Aluminium machining | Lung cancer | OR = 2.85 (1.43-5.68) (for 0.9-1.7 years of exposure v.s. 0, for 20 years lagged exposure) | + | All workers exposed to aluminium were also exposed to soluble oils |
| Armstrong et al. (1994) | Canada, 1950-1988 | Case-controls (338 deaths) and a random sub-cohort (1,138 subjects) of workers from an aluminium production plant | Benzo-a-pyrene/ Benzene- soluble matter | Lung cancer | OR = 2.25 (1.50-3.38) (for 10-19 mg/m3-years benzene soluble) | + | -adjusted for smoking habits |
| Spinelli et al. (1991) | Canada, 1950- 1985 | Cohort of workers from an aluminium production plant (n=4,213). | Proxy for PAH | Bladder cancer (incident=16, death=3) | SIR = 1.69 (1.06-2.57) | + | - limited study size |
| SMR = 1.37 (0.37-3.54) | - | adjusted for smoking habits | |||||
| Lung cancer (incident=37, death=32) | SIR = 0.97 (0.73-1.28) | - | |||||
| SMR = 0.93 (0.68-1.25) | + | ||||||
| Brain cancer (incident=8, death=10) | SIR = 1.94 (0.97-3.50) | - | |||||
| SMR = 2.17 (1.18-3.68) | + | ||||||
| Mur et al. (1987) | France, 1950- 1976 | Cohort of workers from an aluminium production plant (n=6,455). | None | Bladder cancer (7) | SMR = 2.09 (0.96-3.68) | - | - limited study size |
| Lung cancer (37) | SMR = 1.14 (0.85-1.48) | - | - lack of information on the cause of death for 29% of the deaths | ||||
| Edling et al. (1987) | Sweden, 1958- 1983 | Cohort of workers manufacturing abrasive materials (n=521) | Total dust | All cancers (17) | SMR = 0.93 (0.5-1.5) | - | - limited study size |
| Lung cancer (2) | SIR = 0.57 (0.1-2.1) | - | |||||
| Gibbs (1985) | Canada, 1950- 1977 | Cohorts of aluminium smelters (n=5,406) | Proxy for PAH | Malignant neoplasm: | (ever exposed) | ||
| Bladder (12) | SMR = 1.61 | - | - limited study size | ||||
| Lung (101) | SMR = 1.43 (p< .05) | + | - exposure on or before 1950-1951 | ||||
| Rockette & Arena1 (1983) | U.S. | Cohorts of aluminium reduction workers (n= 21,829) | None | (more than 20 years of expsure) | - | A factor common to the plants would be related to the excess of pancreatic cancers | |
| Lung cancer (27) | SMR = 1.01 | - | |||||
| Pancreatic (16) | SMR = 1.98 (p<0.05) | + |