Olsen J H, Jensen O M
Scand J Work Environ Health. 1984 Feb;10(1):17-24. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2368.
The initiating hypothesis of the present study was that exposure to respirable fibers from mineral wool in concentrations seen at the place of production is carcinogenic to the respiratory system. In a test of this hypothesis 5,369 employees in the mineral wool production plant in question were followed from first employment at the plant until day of death or until the end of 1977. The factory started producing mineral wool in 1937 and the Danish Cancer Registry started working on a nationwide scale in 1943; therefore there was a maximum 40 years' duration of employment and 35 years' follow-up in the Cancer Registry. The observed numbers of cancer cases were compared with the expected numbers calculated on the basis of the age-, sex-, and time-specific incidence rates for cancer among the Danish population. Within the study period the Registry received notification of 136 cohort members with one cancer and 4 with two primary cancers, ie, a total of 144 cancer cases was observed against the 133.8 expected. Among workers with 20 or more years from first employment in the plant a significant excess of cancer of the lungs, bladder, and skin was found (observed versus expected cases: 9 vs 4.3, 4 vs 1.6 and 5 vs 2.4, respectively). This study thus supports the working hypothesis of an association between lung cancer and mineral wool production when the latency period for this type of cancer is taken into consideration.
本研究的初始假设是，在矿棉生产场所所见到的可吸入纤维浓度下，接触矿棉纤维会对呼吸系统产生致癌作用。为验证这一假设，对该矿棉生产厂的5369名员工进行了跟踪，从他们首次受雇于该厂开始，直至死亡之日或1977年底。该厂于1937年开始生产矿棉，丹麦癌症登记处于1943年开始在全国范围内开展工作；因此，员工最长工作时长为40年，癌症登记处的随访时长为35年。将观察到的癌症病例数与根据丹麦人群中按年龄、性别和时间划分的癌症发病率计算出的预期病例数进行比较。在研究期间，登记处收到了136名患有一种癌症的队列成员以及4名患有两种原发性癌症的队列成员的通知，即总共观察到144例癌症病例，而预期病例数为133.8例。在首次受雇于该厂20年或更长时间的工人中，发现肺癌、膀胱癌和皮肤癌的病例显著多于预期（观察到的病例数与预期病例数分别为：9例对4.3例、4例对1.6例和5例对2.4例）。因此，考虑到这类癌症的潜伏期，本研究支持肺癌与矿棉生产之间存在关联这一工作假设。
