B98
Cancer risk in workers with silicosis in the Czech Republic
Anna Splichalova1, Hana Tomaskova2, Zdenek Jirak2, Pavel Urban3
1Institute of Public Health, Ostrava, Czech Republic, 2University of Ostrava, Faculty of Health Studies, Ostrava, Czech Republic, 3National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
Background
In 1997 the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified dust containing crystalline silica to group 1, as a human carcinogen. Many studies identified increased lung cancer risk in workers exposed to crystalline silica dust.
Aim
The aim of this study was to compare cancer risk between workers with diagnosed silicosis and unexposed general population in the Czech Republic.
Method
The study sample included 797 workers (men only) exposed to crystalline silica dust who were registered with silicosis in the National Register of Occupational Diseases in 1992-2001. These workers came from metallurgic, ore-mining, stone-cutting, ceramic and porcelain industry. The data on individual and occupational history of workers were linked with the data from the National Cancer Register and the National Population Register. Risks for cancer (lung, stomach, colon, kidney and urinary bladder) were calculated as a standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) based on the data on cancer incidence from 1992 to 2006.
Results: Average age of study sample in time of diagnosed silicosis was 60.4, average exposure was 24.2 years. In period 19922006, 158 workers (19.8%) sicken of cancer. Significantly higher cancer risk was confirmed only for lung cancer (N=61, SIR=2.81, 95% CI: 2.2-3.8). The highest lung cancer risk was identified in ore-miners and breakers SIR=3.86 (95% CI: 2.5-6.0), metal workers SIR=3.79 (95% CI: 2.2-6.5) and metallurgist-founders SIR=2.77 (95% CI: 1.6-4.8). Positive association was confirmed between smoking and incidence of lung cancer in workers with silicosis (p<0.01). No statistically significant differences were found for cancer incidence of stomach, colon, kidney and urinary bladder.
Conclusion
The results demonstrate significantly higher lung cancer risk in workers having silicosis comparing with the Czech general population.
The study was financed by the Czech Ministry of Health - Nr. 8556.
