OBJECTIVES

Studies have indicated an excess risk of stomach cancer, pancreas cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for sulfite pulp mill workers, and therefore cancer incidence was evaluated for 2 Danish sulfite mills.

METHODS

Altogether 2238 workers employed in 1955--1990 were included in a historic cohort and followed until 31 December 1993. National cancer rates were used to calculate the expected number of cancer cases.

RESULTS

The overall cancer risk was close to the expected, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) being 1.01. The risk of stomach cancer was doubled [10 observed, SIR 1.99, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.95--3.66], as was the risk of pancreatic cancer (7 observed, SIR 1.88, 95% CI 0.75-3.88). For the men with known pulp exposure, lung cancer was slightly increased (SIR 1.53, 95% CI 0.94-2.37). Other cancers with elevated risks were leukemia (7 observed, SIR 1.84) and soft-tissue sarcomas (4 observed, SIR 2.37). The risk of non-Hodgkin' s lymphoma was not increased.

CONCLUSIONS

The excess risk of stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer found in this study was in accordance with that of other studies from sulfite pulp mills.