Investigation of Mortality from Cancer and Other Causes of Death Among Workers Employed at an East Texas Chemical Plant

摘要

A historical prospective mortality study of chemical workers was conducted. The purpose of the study was to evaluate a suspected increase in deaths due to brain cancer and multiple myeloma. The cohort consisted of 2510 males who worked for at least 1 day at a chemical factory in East Texas between January 1, 1952 and December 31, 1977. The facility's major product was tetraethyllead (78002). The cohort was traced through company, union, Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and state records. Death certificates were obtained from state vital statistics offices. The observed mortality was compared with predicted rates for all United States males. The authors conclude that no statistically significant increase in site specific mortality from cancer occurred. The small excess observed for brain and other cancers may have been due to chance associations.