Document reZ5oBw9JE1GB3kX7X7GV8aDv
NIOSH STUDY 7/73 ;:.at observed (or Halted States vales la 1972, 15 deaths due to ell eancers and less thaa one death, due to cancer of the pancreas could have been expected among the 86 observed deaths. Upon reviewing this information, NIOSH initiated a more detailed and systematic stud; of the mortality experience among plant employees. The purpose of NIOSH's investigation ves first, to test the hypothesis of an excess of penereetlc cancer and, second, to generate hypotheses for further, in-depth study.
The plant, located in Massachusetts, has been operating since 1901. It currently employs approximately 1500 workers. The majority of active eoployees at the plant have been working over 10 years and therefore comprise e relatively stable working population. In 1901, the plant began the production of cellulose nltrste and cellulose acetate which ended la the lace fifties and sixties. In 1938, the plant began the production of polyvinyl butyrtl and phenol-formaldehyde.
A few years later, the slant beten the oroductien of forrnlin.
formaldehydes,' anino elastics, and oolvscyrena. Production vas
expanded la the mid-fifties and early sixties and included
processes such as polymerization and compounding. Beevean 1948
end 1977, various vinyl chloride products were manufactured.
During this interval, the polymerization of vinyl chloride
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occurred. la 1988, styrene alcohol products were Introduced,
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and In 1972, harrier resin production began at the plant. In
addition, various other chemicals have been -manufactured at
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both the pilot and mils plant*
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ABSTRACT the National Inscitue* for Occupation^ >. Safety anti Health
conducted an epidemiologic study of death certificates of former emolovees of a chemical manufacturing olanc In ''assachuseccs. Proportional Mortality Ratios (PMRa) and Pronortlonal Cancer Mortality Ratios (fCT'Rs) were calculated for white male
deaths. Although the PMRs were significantly elevated for cancers of
the digestive system and genito-urinary trace, the PCMRs (which, used local eoonty cancer mortality as the standard) were
noe statisticallysignificant., Other factors, such as blrehplaca
and date of death'are discussed. Lack of information on
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personal habits and work histories may have masked possible
r etiologic factors. It Is possible chat occupational factors could have eccounted,
at
least
in
part,
for
the
observed
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elevated
proportion,s
of
digestive and genlto-urlnary cancers. Suggestions for future
study- ere given.
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INTRODUCTION
Id 1975, the National Institute for Occupetional Seftcy *
and Health (NIOSH) was informed of the occurrence of 86 deaths among former workers of e chemical-producing plant. Analysis of the 86 deaths indicated an excess of cancer, particularly of the pancreas. Among the 86 deaths, 21 (24.4X) were attributed to cencer, four of whieh were due to cancer of tbe pancreas. When the mortality experience of the plant was compared with
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