Table 3 Reviewed articles on other hazards and leukemia
Researcher | Year | Type of study | Exposure | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A) Occupational exposure and risk of leukemia among different categories of workers | ||||
1) Healthcare workers | ||||
Dimich-Ward [81] | 2007 | Cohort study | Working as a nurse | No increased leukemia mortality (SMR 0.78, 95% CI 0.49-1.18) or incidence was found among the cohort of nurses (SIR for myelogenous and lymphatic leukemia was 1.21, 95% CI 0.85- 1.68 and 1.02, 95% CI 0.63-1.56 respectively). |
Abel [82] | 2009 | Cohort study (Nurses’ Health Study) | Working as a nurse | A statistically significant increase of CLL incidence was found among nurses compared to the general population (SIR 1.35, 95% CI 1.17-1.54). |
Lollis [83] | 2010 | Cohort study | Exposure to different health hazards of operating theaters | No statistically significant increase in mortality from leukemia was observed among neurosurgeons compared to the general population (SMR 1.2, 95% CI 0.75-1.9). |
2) Workers in chemical laboratories | ||||
Kubale [84] | 2008 | Cohort study | Radionuclides, benzene and other hazards in the laboratories of nuclear research facilities | Leukemia mortality of workers did not differ significantly from the general population (SMR 0.78, 95% CI 0.45-1.25). A significant positive association was shown between leukemia risk and duration of employment for those employed >20 years (SRR was 9.51, 95% CI 1.67-54.17 and 11.44, 95% CI 1.88-69.54, for an estimated 2- or 5-year time-lag of the disease respectively). |
3) Firefighters | ||||
Bates [85] | 2007 | Case-control study | Inhalation of toxic combustion products | The risk of developing leukemia did not differ significantly between firefighters and the non-exposed group (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.99-1.49). |
4) Workers in petroleum processing facilities | ||||
Huebner [86] | 2009 | Cohort study | Byproducts of petroleum distillation and processing | A statistically significant increase of mortality from acute (non-lymphoblastic) leukemia was observed among workers in the chemical department (SMR 1.81, 95% CI 1.06-2.90), but no association with duration of employment or specific job posts was identified. |
Gazdek [87] | 2007 | Ecological study | Emissions from oil and gas processing plants | Statistically significant geographic variation of acute myeloid leukemia incidence was observed among populations of different regions, depending on their proximity to oil- and gas-processing plants. |
5) Tannery workers | ||||
Iaia [88] | 2006 | Cohort study | Chemicals used in leather processing | No significant increase of myeloid leukemia mortality was found among tannery workers exposed to chemicals used for leather processing (SMR was 2.08, 90% CI 0.82–4.37 for men and 5.99, 90% CI 1.06-18.87 for women). |
6) Different occupational categories | ||||
Firth [89] | 2007 | Ecological study | Different occupational exposures of women | A significant increase of leukemia proportional mortality was found among women employed in the healthcare sector (PMR 1.52, 95% CI 1.08- 2.09) but not for nurses (PMR 1.42, 95% CI 0.96-2.01). |
Hoffmann [90] | 2008 | Case-control study | Ionizing radiation, pesticides and EMF | 15% of men (16% of women) participants reported occupational exposure to pesticides, 4% (8% women) reported exposure to ionizing radiation (for > 1 year) and 64% of participants reported having lived sometime in their life in the proximity (<20 km) of a nuclear plant. |
Richardson [91] | 2008 | Case-control study | Different occupational exposures | A statistically significant increase of CLL risk was shown among workers exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.02-2.16) and printing inks (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.21-2.96). |
Kaufman [92] | 2009 | Case-control study | Benzene, pesticides, ionizing radiation and EMF | A statistically significant increase of myeloid leukemia was shown among workers exposed to Benzene (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.3- 11), other non-specified solvents (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1- 4.9), pesticides (OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.1-7.1) and EMF (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3-15). |
McLean [93] | 2009 | Case-control study | Different occupational exposures | A statistically significant increase of leukemia risk was found among workers employed in fruit and vegetable cultivation (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.51 - 4.55) and in nurseries (OR 7.51, 95% CI 1.85-30.38), machine operators in plastic production facilities (OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.08-13.08), tailors and dressmakers (OR for CLL 7.01, 95% CI 1.78-27.68), cleaners (OR for CLL 2.04, 95% CI 1.00-4.14) and construction workers (OR for CLL 4.03, 95% CI 1.30-12.53). |
B) Occupational exposure and risk of leukemia among the offspring of different categories of workers | ||||
Pearce [94] | 2006 | Case-control study | Pesticides and herbicides | Paternal occupational exposure to pesticides and herbicides did not appear to be associated with a higher risk of leukemia among their offspring (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.26-1.16 and 1.15, 95% CI 0.61 - 2.17 for children living in urban and rural areas respectively). |
Pearce [95] | 2007 | Case-control study | EMF, ionizing radiation | A statistically significant association was shown between the risk of childhood leukemia and previous paternal occupational exposure to EMF (and ionizing radiation) (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.02-1.69), especially among the offspring of electricians (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.12 - 2.26). |
McKinney [96] | 2008 | Case-control study | Solvents, degreasing and cleaning agents | A statistically significant association was found among acute lymphoblastic leukemia risk in children and maternal exposure to solvents, degreasing and cleaning agents, during the period of pregnancy (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.6- 4.6) and postpartum (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3). |
Perez-Saldivar [97] | 2008 | Case-control study | Carcinogenic compounds | A statistically significant association was found between childhood leukemia risk and previous paternal exposure to carcinogens (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.24-3.42). |