Tobacco, alcohol, asbestos, and nickel in the etiology of cancer of the larynx: a case-control study

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Natl. Cancer Inst.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5527975

Burch, J D; Howe, G R; Miller, A B; Semenciw, R

A case-control study of laryngeal cancer was conducted in southern Ontario between 1977 and 1979 with 204 subjects with newly diagnosed cancer and 204 controls, individually matched by sex, age, and residence. Tobacco products and alcohol showed strong associations with cancer of the larynx for males, with relative risks (RR) for users of cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, pipes, and alcohol of 6.1, 2.9, 1.6, and 5.2, respectively. The population attributable risk percent for males using tobacco products and alcohol together was estimated to be 94%. Cigarette smoking was also an important risk factor for females, although the small number of female pairs (20) precluded any meaningful detailed analysis of other possible risk factors. The RR for males for exposure to asbestos after the effects of cigarette smoking were controlled was 2.3, and the effects seemed restricted to cigarette smokers. The findings on asbestos were based on small numbers of cases and controls exposed and consequently were subject to large sampling errors. The estimate was consistent, however, with that from other studies and supported a causal role for asbestos exposure and cancer of the larynx. The RR for males for exposure to nickel was 0.9.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Toronto, Canada
• OSTI ID: 5527975
• Journal Information: J. Natl. Cancer Inst.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Natl. Cancer Inst.; (United States) Vol. 67:6; ISSN JNCIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
ALCOHOLS
ASBESTOS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CANADA
COLLOIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
ETHANOL
HAZARDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LARYNX
METALS
NEOPLASMS
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
SMOKES
SOLS
TOBACCO SMOKES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS