NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Risks of Pathologists Exposed to Formaldehyde.

Matanoski GM

School of Hygiene and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 1989 Aug:32 pages

https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/PB91173682.xhtml

00197319

A study was conducted to determine if pathologists with exposure to formaldehyde (50000) demonstrate an excess risk of cancer, particularly cancers of the nasopharyngeal and pharyngeal areas. A population of 6411 physicians with occupational formaldehyde exposure participated in the study. The occurrence of these types of cancers was 4.7 times higher in these persons than in a comparable sized group of psychiatrists, but even so it is difficult to determine the importance of this increased risk as being directly tied to formaldehyde exposure. Pathologists and other members of the study group were exposed to other chemicals and infectious agents as well as formaldehyde. There was an apparent excess of mortality from pancreatic cancer and brain cancers as well as leukemia. According to the author, it is difficult to see how a large dose of the agent could be absorbed and reach these areas of the body as formaldehyde is such an irritating substance.

NIOSH-Grant; Cancer; Cancer-rates; Epidemiology; Laboratory-workers; Risk-factors; Nasal-cancer; Nasal-cavity; Occupational-exposure;

Epidemiology Johns Hopkins University 615 North Wolfe Street Baltimore, MD 21205

50-00-0;

19890809

Final Grant Report;

267067.00

Grant;

1989

PB91-173682

A04

Grant-Number-R01-OH-01511

OEP

School of Hygiene and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

MD;

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland