Document O3bqOQrBJD1R1zm2741vM31q1

Current Intelligence C- i^ll Angiosarcoma of the LiverTo make an early determination of the distribution and extent of primary liver cancer, and more specifically, angiosarcoma of the liver among workers exposed to vinyl chioride, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Center for Disease Control, has requested members of the medical community in the United States and abroad to report information on known or suspected cases. As shown in the table, 26 cases have been reported to date from six countries. Sixteen of these are from the United States. Although cases have been ob served from four distinct work areas, the majority (81%) were formerly employed as reactor cleaners at plants where vinyl chloride was transformed into polyvinyl ^^loride. Fourteen confirmed cases of ^H^iosarcoma of the liver have been reported from four polymerization plants in the United States. While an exact estimate of the risk for polymerization workers must await completion of ___follow-up, it is already apparent that the disease rate for this group is extremely high. The total work force currently em ployed at U.S. polymerization plants is about 5,000. No adequate data on prior vinyl chloride exposure levels of polymerization workers is available, but it is thought that past exposures may have frequently exceeded the TLV of 500 ppm. For the polymerization workers the median age at diagnosis of angiosar coma of the liver is 45 years with a range from 36 to 71 years, and the median in terval from first exposure to diagnosis is 20 years with a range from 11 to 30 years. Too few cases have been reported from the other work areas to provide stable estimates of age and latency. Persons interested in obtaining funher information should contact ]. William Lloyd, Sc.D., Director. Office of Oc^^fejpationjl Health Surveillance and ^^Pometrics, NiOSH, 5600 Fishers Lane. Room 3-32, Park Building, Rockville. MO 20852. in Vinyl Chloride/Polyvinyl Chloride Workers Tibi* L -- Reported Cjsei of Lira Ajiiiourcc.-na in Workers Eipcuil to Vinyl Chlotid* or Polyvinyl Chloride. Country Sweden Crechoslovdkij Ciechaslovaki* Great Britain No-wry Sweden United States United State* United State* Umted State* United State* United State* United State* United State* United StJt Unitid SutM Umtfd Stain United State* United State* United State* W. Germany W. Germany Great Britain United State* United States W. Germany lit 1C ox A( Tn Cn* atm x CYC knt> at lit lix No. Date Eipwaure Sarcoma ox to 01 VC Pruductwn fforker t or 11-77-11 owo-45 05-15-72 61 27 Polyrtwrixitiq* WerUr* 01 AWAITING OFT1H.S 02 AWAITING detail: 01" 00-00-01 00-00-45 1200.72 71 01- 17-23-1S 0300-50 12-20 71 56 01* 06-23-27 08-14 51 02 00 70 43 01- 10-17-73 1209-48 0303-73 49 or 03-19-33 11-15-55 05-00-70 35 03* 05-25-15 11-28-45 12-19-73 53 04* 01-15-24 0705-52 OS-19 67 43 05* 0125-12 05-19-44 04-09-54 52 06* 00-00-29 01-17-62 0200-74 45 07' 0503-22 05 GO-44 00-00-63 45 or 050620 100746 03 00-61 41 or OO C0-31 05-2345 0301-74 43 10* 08-15-13 06-12-51 05 00 63 55 II* 05-2709 10-14-45 0300-70 61 tr 11-17-13 09-1349 05*0269 50 u* 120121 C3-1944 0500-74 53 16* 11-0427 0601-50 00 GO 59 41 01 07-25-31 10-14-57 00 00-71 40 02 0604.30 10-01 57 00 00 59 39 25 22 19 22 14 23 15 20 12 24 15 29 17 23 20 30 17 14 11 Compounder*, hooters. tc. 02* 09-08-14 000045 02 00-70 55 14 0000-13 01 13-33 0500-73 50 15* CC 00-25 CO 00 00 07 09-72 47 24 35 00 Other VC Eipouui G3 0000-00 000000 OG-QO-CG 43 14 Tat Tn Date of Eifl- Out* n 08-15-72 29 12 00 72 21 0104.72 13 10-20-70 15 0303-73 13 09-28-71 23 12-19-73 IS 0107 68 13 0409-54 12 ALIVE 13 03-23-63 IS OS-29-61 17 ALIVE 17 05-10-63 23 03-16-70 15 0502 69 30 0704-74 4 03-27-69 14 1214.71 u 01-25 59 11 1200-70 N0; 1 00 0703-73 Mutt 2 1 5 00 02-15-73 Not*. 3 00 WOO 00 Nj* 4 Note 1 Pwrmf PYC oil miityf* 00(0 fabric bases Not* 2 Machine operator crrerint electrical wire with PYC pittite insulation Note 3 Accountin', at several fabrication plant* (fork history under review) Note 4 loading pesticide cans with YC propellant Note 5 Ciijnosiv Sarcoma tpuyibly "jnjrowreoma"). livtr, Possibility 0/ teneraiized neoplasm o< the reticuloendothelial cell system cannot be ruled out Indicates microscopically confirmed enfiowreomj q/ the liver, "00'* Indicates unknown data. Journal of Occupational Medicine/Yol. 16, No. 12/December 1974 809 33 U) 03 cn tn A CO t i } * -i ?6 3 M Ia