Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies

Background/purpose: Talc powder is widely used in various industries, but the carcinogenic effects associated with talc are not well understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of stomach cancer after occupational talc exposure. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis was performe...

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Main Authors: Che-Jui Chang, Yu-Kang Tu, Pau-Chung Chen, Hsiao-Yu Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-04-01
Series:Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092966461830353X
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author Che-Jui Chang
Yu-Kang Tu
Pau-Chung Chen
Hsiao-Yu Yang
author_facet Che-Jui Chang
Yu-Kang Tu
Pau-Chung Chen
Hsiao-Yu Yang
author_sort Che-Jui Chang
collection DOAJ
description Background/purpose: Talc powder is widely used in various industries, but the carcinogenic effects associated with talc are not well understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of stomach cancer after occupational talc exposure. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis was performed to calculate the meta-relative risk (mRR) of stomach cancer. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI and Wanfang Data databases for publications prior to January 1, 2017 using talc, cancer, and mortality as the search terms. Only cohort studies with occupational talc exposure and stomach cancer statistics were included. Results: All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models. We selected 13 observational studies (12 publications) for the meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was observed among studies. Workers exposed to all forms of talc had a significantly increased mRR of 1.21 (95% CI: 1.03—1.42, p = 0.02) for stomach cancer. Workers exposed to talc not containing asbestiform fibers also had an increased mRR of 1.26 (95% CI: 0.97—1.63, p = 0.09). Conclusion: The available data showed a positive association between occupational talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer. The association between talc not containing asbestiform fibers and risk of stomach cancer was not significant. Further epidemiological studies are required to evaluate the safety of talc. Keywords: Talcum powder, Asbestos, Gastric cancer, Mortality
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spelling doaj.art-08729b3abce94a509155e6a16a07e6472022-12-21T18:10:05ZengElsevierJournal of the Formosan Medical Association0929-66462020-04-011194781792Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studiesChe-Jui Chang0Yu-Kang Tu1Pau-Chung Chen2Hsiao-Yu Yang3Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, TaiwanInstitute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, TaiwanInstitute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Corresponding author. Department of Public Health, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, No. 17 Xuzhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.Background/purpose: Talc powder is widely used in various industries, but the carcinogenic effects associated with talc are not well understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of stomach cancer after occupational talc exposure. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis was performed to calculate the meta-relative risk (mRR) of stomach cancer. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI and Wanfang Data databases for publications prior to January 1, 2017 using talc, cancer, and mortality as the search terms. Only cohort studies with occupational talc exposure and stomach cancer statistics were included. Results: All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models. We selected 13 observational studies (12 publications) for the meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was observed among studies. Workers exposed to all forms of talc had a significantly increased mRR of 1.21 (95% CI: 1.03—1.42, p = 0.02) for stomach cancer. Workers exposed to talc not containing asbestiform fibers also had an increased mRR of 1.26 (95% CI: 0.97—1.63, p = 0.09). Conclusion: The available data showed a positive association between occupational talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer. The association between talc not containing asbestiform fibers and risk of stomach cancer was not significant. Further epidemiological studies are required to evaluate the safety of talc. Keywords: Talcum powder, Asbestos, Gastric cancer, Mortalityhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092966461830353X
spellingShingle Che-Jui Chang
Yu-Kang Tu
Pau-Chung Chen
Hsiao-Yu Yang
Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
title Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies
title_full Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies
title_fullStr Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies
title_full_unstemmed Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies
title_short Talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies
title_sort talc exposure and risk of stomach cancer systematic review and meta analysis of occupational cohort studies
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092966461830353X
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