Document O1rxyQk9dE5kG0QndNKE7DLYM

FILE: This "packet" xeroxed to F.E. Kearney; also mailed cc's to him SBN called him to inform him to have his secretary pick it up at DEX. SBN 1/26/82 RSV0024480 THE MORNING UNION - TUES..JAH.26, 1982 13 ", Research showing a "statis tically significant" inci dence of rectal cancer cases among former Monsanto Co. employees who worked at, the Springfield plant is not conclusive, according to the scientist who conducted the study. PAGE 13 . VY.f Research showing a "statistically significant" excess, but the only thing that came out of thf incidence of rectal cancer cases among former report was this rectal thing............ ' V Monsanto Co. workers is not conclusive, according, As1 a result of the findings, Marsh's report to the scientist who conducted the study. recommended "updating the original Springfield Dr. Gary Marsh, assistant professor of biosta study .... so as to better assess the possible tics at the University of Pittsburgh, examined rec risk." ' V,:.- ; ords of about 2,500 people who had worked at the Monsanto plant in Springfield between 1949 and 1966. An earlier study suggested there might be an excess of digestive tract cancers and tumors of' the genital-urinary system, mostly the prostate ! The study was made for Monsanto by the Uni gland. ... . ij versity at the request of Local 288 of the Interna A separate study by a research group from thfei tional Union of Electrical Workers, which repre sents Monsanto employees, to look into what the union saw as high cancer incidence at the plant. University of Massachusetts found cancer deaths1 among former workers at the Springfield plant* could be linked to materials used in making vinyl! "There was a (statistically) significant excess .chloride and polyvinyl'chloride, the man whw for the rectal cancers, but that was the only sig nificant finding in the whole report and you can't place much weight on it," Marsh said. headed that study said.. - ; Dr. Kenneth Rosenman, formerly of the univer-)" He said the results of the study did not support sity's Division of Public Health in Amherst, said the hypothesis that digestive tract or genital-uri nary tract tumors were related to general expo sure to chemicals in the plant or were related to the investigation of 110 people who worked1 at' the plant from 1950 to 1973 found 34 had died of cancer. . .when workers were hired. ` " j : . "People who worked there longer, who had a. , It found that such Cancers, except for tumors of longer latency period, had higher risks of dying of the prostate gland or rectum, were not related to all malignant neoplasms," he said earlier this employment at any of 21 specific stations at the month. Rosenman is director of occupational and ; plant, he said. environmental health services for New Jersey. ' Of chemical workers with prostatic cancer, 29 "The results of the Rosenman study are, not percent had worked in polystyrene processing, but confirmed by the University of Pittsburgh study,". that was not considered statistically significant, was the response from James Shriver, manager of he said. . .; y the Springfield Monsanto plant. Among workers with rectal cancer, 57 percent "The principal difference is that the University | had worked in cellulose nitrate production, and of Pittsburgh study shows that those employees |.. that was- considered a statistically significant who died of digestive cancer were less likely to excess of tumors. But, Marsh said, there is no work for a long period of time with vinyl chlo recent literature linking bowel cancer with expo ride," Shriver said. . sure to cellulose nitrate. ' ' "The information we have from the (Pittsburgh) - He said, "We tried to identify a particular study shows this (long exposure to vinyl chloride) - workplace or agent they (workers) were exposed is not the case" in studied cancer-related to that could have been related to this (cancer) deaths. rcsvnfmARi NORTHAMPTON DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE 1/2 5/82 jjggnto study cer links berst. The UMass study found an in- ;(,creased cancer-death rate may ; layje,been; .caused by exposure to warkers/thise,: ';;-t;fflBteSal'ased in making plastics at However, Hi. ------------ ------------ ikntuEBi ducted the {ew&E-., . not conclude dutt the teghOTincid- ' However; /Marsh said that he stu | ence of cancer was iintora to condi- died those two departments and itions attheehemicalplanL found son-! excesses in the cancer- not sure ^aboiit Seruyfibi<U deathfate. l^lpe's too many ifs," stEl>c. Gary TheWferences in the two studies M;'Marsh, an assistairt prol^or ^li^L^; attributed to a different Pbidktatistics at the University of sample of workers, Marsh said. Pittsburgh, in a telephone interview Marsh examined the records of fcto&ky. Marsh conducted the stu$y approximately 2,500 people who had pander contract with Monsanto Co. worked there between 1949 and 1966. p "Idid find potential problems that While the UMass team traced the pneed further studies," said Marsh. medical histories of 622 employees The findings have to be maintained who worked in the production of - for a number of years to establish^ polyvinyl chloride and vinyl chlor , "pascal association" as opposed to- ide between 1950 and 1973. a "random association," he added. Marsh's most recent study, which f Several studies have documented looked at'specific work sites, fol cancer-d^ath rates among former lowed up mi earlier overall study of Monsanto employees that are higher the plant;In Marsh's earlier overall than expected among Hampden study, be found,a 40 percent higher County residents. Marsh's study is rate of digestive cancer, and 53 the fifth conducted at the plant percent higher rate of cancer in the since 1977. genito-urinary system. Marsh said he had not read, and He could not draw any conclu therefore could, not comment on, sions from this study however, be another study of the Monsanto plant cause he did not know the work- done by a research, team at the history of the workers, and he could University of Massachusetts in Am- - Li (Continued on page 13) t r ' // <Ls&> L ^7 }'C? X & It c- }j ? -- New (Continued from page 1) not establish a "cause-specific" analysis for the higher incidence of cancers. When he re-evaluated his results on a site-by-site basis,-he found that there were no patterns of workers in a certain department contracting a certain kind of cancer! except for the higher rectal cancer rates, "There was a significant excess for the rectal cancers,' he said. "But, that was the only significant finding in the whole report, and you can't place much weight on it. " , He said the results of the study did not support the hypothesis that digestive tract or genital-urinary tract tumors were related to gener al exposure to chemicals in the plant or were related to when work ers were hired. It found that such cancers, except for tumors of the prostate gland or rectum, were not related to employ-: ' ment at any of 21 specific stations at the plant, he said. "We tried to identify a particular workplace or agent they (workers) were exposed to that could have i been related to this (cancer) excess, but the only thing that came out of the report was this rectal thing." ; As a result of the findings, Marsh's report recommended "up dating the original Springfield study...so as to better assess the possible risk." However, Dr. Kenneth Rosenman, formerly of the university's Division of Public Health in Amherst, who headed the UMass study, said that his study documented that workers in the polyvinyl chloride and vinyl chloride departments had contract ed types of cancer that have been identified as being caused by those chemicals. Rosenman said his results, were "biologically" significant,' because he documented cases of lung can cer, mouth, digestive and lymphatic cancer that earlier studies linked to those chemicals. The risk of contracting cancer also increased with the period of time individuals worked at the plant, Rosenman said earlier this month. Rosenman is now serving as director of Occupational and Envi ronmental Health Services for the state of New Jersey. RSV00244S: SPRINGFIELD DAILY NEWS, JAN. 25. 1982 (MONDAY) ,' -1 Researcher Downplays Monsanto Cancer Data BOSTON (AP) -- A'finding Of a statistically sig Among workers with rectal cancer, 57 percent nificant number of rectal cancer cases among for had worked in cellulose nitrate production, and mer workers at the Monsanto Co. chemical plant that was considered a statistically significant in Springfield has been downplayed by the scien excess of tumors. But, Marsh said there is no tist who conducted the study. recent literature linking bowel cancer with expo Dr. Gary Marsh, assistant professor of biosta sure to cellulose nitrate. tistics at the University of Pittsburgh, examined . . He told The Boston Globe, "we tried to identify the records of approximately 2,500 people who a particular workplace or agent they (workers) had worked there between 1949 and 1966, in mak were exposed to that could have been related td ing the study for the Monsanto Co., owner of the . this (cancer) excess, but the only thing that came plant. / out of the report was this rectal thing." A * "There was a (statistically) significant excess As a result of the findings. Marsh's report for the rectal cancers," he said. "But, that was the recommended "updating the original Springfield only significant finding in the whole report, and study...so as to better assess the possible risk." - you can't place much weight on it." An earlier study suggested there might be an He said the results of the study did not support excess of digestive tract cancers and tumors of the hypothesis that digestive tract or genital-uri the genital-urinary system, mostly the prostate nary tract tumors were related to general expo- ' gland. sure to chemicals in the plant or were related to Dr. Kenneth Rosenman, formerly of the univer when workers were hired. sity's Division of Public Health in Amherst, said It found that such cancers, except for tumors of the investigation of 110 people who worked at the prostate gland or rectum, were not related to the plant from 1950 to 1973 found 34 had died of employment at any of 21 specific stations at the cancer. plant, he said. "People who worked there longer, who had a ` Of chemical workers with prostatic cancer, 29 longer latency period, had higher risks of dying of percent had worked in polystyrene processing, but all malignant neoplasms," he said earlier this %- that was not considered statistically significant, month. Rosenman is director of occupational and/*^ he said. environmental health' services for New Jersey. / ; r RSV0024483