Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the possible association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. METHODS: Data were collected in two population-based case–control studies conducted in Montreal, Canada. Cases were individuals diagnosed with incident, histologically-confirmed lung c...

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Main Authors: Amel Mahboubi, Anita Koushik, Jack Siemiatycki, Jérôme Lavoué, Marie-Claude Rousseau
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH) 2013-07-01
Series:Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
Subjects:
Online Access: https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3344
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author Amel Mahboubi
Anita Koushik
Jack Siemiatycki
Jérôme Lavoué
Marie-Claude Rousseau
author_facet Amel Mahboubi
Anita Koushik
Jack Siemiatycki
Jérôme Lavoué
Marie-Claude Rousseau
author_sort Amel Mahboubi
collection DOAJ
description OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the possible association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. METHODS: Data were collected in two population-based case–control studies conducted in Montreal, Canada. Cases were individuals diagnosed with incident, histologically-confirmed lung cancer. Controls were randomly selected from electoral lists and frequency-matched to cases by age, sex, and electoral district of residence. Interviews for the two studies were conducted in 1979–1986 and 1996­–2002, using a virtually identical questionnaire to obtain lifetime occupational and smoking history and several lifestyle covariates. Experts reviewed the detailed work history for each participant to assess exposure to several occupational agents, including formaldehyde. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the associations between several metrics of formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer, adjusting for smoking and occupational and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: In all, 2060 lung cancer cases and 2046 population controls were interviewed and assessed for exposure. About 25% of subjects had ever been occupationally exposed to formaldehyde. The adjusted OR for lung cancer was 1.06 (95% CI 0.89­–1.27) comparing ever versus never exposure to formaldehyde. Analyses for age at first exposure, average, and peak intensity of exposure also suggested an absence of association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. Results did not vary by sex, lifetime smoking intensity, or histological subtype. CONCLUSIONS: No marked increases in lung cancer risk related to workplace formaldehyde exposure were observed. Study participants were mainly exposed at low concentration levels, which should be considered in the interpretation of our findings.
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spelling doaj.art-7cdab1fb5870481ba4497ff15e54a7682022-12-21T17:14:58ZengNordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health0355-31401795-990X2013-07-0139440141010.5271/sjweh.33443344Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studiesAmel MahboubiAnita KoushikJack SiemiatyckiJérôme LavouéMarie-Claude Rousseau0INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, 531, boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, Canada H7V 1B7.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the possible association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. METHODS: Data were collected in two population-based case–control studies conducted in Montreal, Canada. Cases were individuals diagnosed with incident, histologically-confirmed lung cancer. Controls were randomly selected from electoral lists and frequency-matched to cases by age, sex, and electoral district of residence. Interviews for the two studies were conducted in 1979–1986 and 1996­–2002, using a virtually identical questionnaire to obtain lifetime occupational and smoking history and several lifestyle covariates. Experts reviewed the detailed work history for each participant to assess exposure to several occupational agents, including formaldehyde. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the associations between several metrics of formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer, adjusting for smoking and occupational and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: In all, 2060 lung cancer cases and 2046 population controls were interviewed and assessed for exposure. About 25% of subjects had ever been occupationally exposed to formaldehyde. The adjusted OR for lung cancer was 1.06 (95% CI 0.89­–1.27) comparing ever versus never exposure to formaldehyde. Analyses for age at first exposure, average, and peak intensity of exposure also suggested an absence of association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. Results did not vary by sex, lifetime smoking intensity, or histological subtype. CONCLUSIONS: No marked increases in lung cancer risk related to workplace formaldehyde exposure were observed. Study participants were mainly exposed at low concentration levels, which should be considered in the interpretation of our findings. https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3344 occupational exposurecancerlung cancerformaldehydepopulation-based studylung neoplasmcanada
spellingShingle Amel Mahboubi
Anita Koushik
Jack Siemiatycki
Jérôme Lavoué
Marie-Claude Rousseau
Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
occupational exposure
cancer
lung cancer
formaldehyde
population-based study
lung neoplasm
canada
title Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies
title_full Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies
title_fullStr Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies
title_short Assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two Canadian population-based case–control studies
title_sort assessment of the effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the risk of lung cancer in two canadian population based case control studies
topic occupational exposure
cancer
lung cancer
formaldehyde
population-based study
lung neoplasm
canada
url https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3344
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