Employment and exposures in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries and the risk of lung cancer
This dissertation addresses the risk of lung cancer associated with occupational exposures in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries. Earlier epidemiologic studies of this association did not adjust for cigarette smoking or have specific exposure classifications. The Texas EXposure Assessment System (TEXAS) was developed with data from a population-based, case-comparison study conducted in five southeast Texas counties between 1976 and 1980. An industry-wide, increased risk for lung cancer was associated with jobs having low-level hydrocarbon exposure that also include other occupational inhalation exposures. The prohibition of cigarette smoking for jobs with high-level hydrocarbon exposure might explain part of the increased risk for jobs with low-level hydrocarbon exposures. Asbestos exposure comprises a large part of the risk associated with jobs having other inhalation exposures besides hydrocarbons. Workers in petroleum refineries were not shown to have an increased, occupational risk for lung cancer. The study results demonstrate that the predominant risk for lung cancer is due to cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking accounts for 86.5% of the incident lung cancer cases within the study area. Workers in the petroleum industry smoke significantly less than persons employed in other industries. Only 2.2% of the incident lung cancer cases may be attributed to petroleum industry jobs; lifestyle factors (e.g., nutrition) may be associated with the balance of the cases.
- Research Organization:
- Texas Univ., Houston (USA). Health Science Center
- OSTI ID:
- 6390719
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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CARCINOGENESIS
RISK ASSESSMENT
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
TOBACCO SMOKES
DISEASE INCIDENCE
INHALATION
LUNGS
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
REFINING
TEXAS
WORKING CONDITIONS
AEROSOLS
BODY
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
FEDERAL REGION VI
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INTAKE
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PROCESSING
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SMOKES
SOLS
USA
020600* - Petroleum- Health & Safety