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March 28, 1986, Vol 255, No. 12 >
ARTICLE | March 28, 1986

Epidemiologic Support for Ethylene Oxide as a Cancer-Causing Agent FREE

Christer Hogstedt, MD; Leif Aringer, MD; Annika Gustavsson
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprint requests to Section of Occupational Medicine, Research Department, National Board of Occupational Safety and Health, S-171 84 Solna, Sweden (Dr Hogstedt).


JAMA. 1986;255(12):1575-1578. doi:10.1001/jama.1986.03370120053022
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References

The mortality and incidence of cancer in three groups of workers with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide have been assessed. Eight cases of leukemia have occurred among 733 ethylene oxide—exposed workers compared with an expected 0.8 cases. Six cases of stomach cancer have been reported compared with 0.65 cases expected. These epidemiologic results provide support for an increased risk of malignancy in individuals with extended and intermittent exposure to low concentrations of ethylene oxide.

(JAMA 1986;255:1575-1578)

REFERENCES

1 +
Landrigan PJ, Meinhardt TJ, Gordon J, et al:  Ethylene oxide: An overview of toxicologic and epidemiologic research . Am J Ind Med 1984;;6:103-115.
2 +
Rapoport IA:  Action of ethylene oxide, glycidol and glycols on gene mutation (Russian original) . Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 1948;;60:469-472.
3 +
International Agency for Research on Cancer:  Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk of chemicals to man . IARC 1976;; 11:161-163.
4 +
Hogstedt C, Malmquist N, Wadman B:  Leukemia in workers exposed to ethylene oxide . JAMA 1979;;241:1132-1133.
5 +
Hogstedt C, Rohlén O, Berndtsson BS, et al:  A cohort study of mortality and cancer incidence in ethylene oxide production workers . Br J Ind Med 1979;;36:276-280.
6 +
Garry VF, Hozier J, Jacobs D, et al:  Ethylene oxide: Evidence of human chromosomal effects . Environ Mutagen 1979;;1:371-382.
7 +
Yager JW, Hines CJ, Spear RC:  Exposure to ethylene oxide at work increases sister chromatid exchanges in human peripheral lymphocytes . Science 1983;;219:1221-1223.
8 +
Laurent CH, Frederic J, Léonard AY:  Sister chromatid exchange frequency in workers exposed to high levels of ethylene oxide, in a hospital sterilization service . Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1984;;54:33-43.
9 +
Sarto F, Cominato I, Pinton AM, et al:  Cytogenetic damage in workers exposed to ethylene oxide . Mutat Res 1984;;138:185-195.
10 +
Högstedt B, Gullberg B, Hedness K, et al:  Chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in bone marrow cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes in humans exposed to ethylene oxide . Hereditas 1983;;98:105-113.
11 +
Stolley PD, Soper KA, Galloway SM, et al:  Sister-chromatid exchanges in association with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide . Mutat Res 1984;;129:89-102.
12 +
Richmond GW, Abrahams RH, Nemenzo JH, et al:  An evaluation of possible effects on health following exposure to ethylene oxide . Arch Environ Health 1985;;40:20-25.
13 +
Hansen JP, Allen J, Brock K, et al:  Normal sister chromatid exchange levels in hospital sterilisation employees exposed to ethylene oxide . J Occup Med 1984;;26:29-32.
14 +
Hemminki K, Mutanen P, Niemi M-L:  Spontaneous abortions in hospital sterilising staff . Br Med J 1983;;286:1976-1977.
15 +
Snellings WM, Weil CS, Maronpot RR:  A two-year inhalation study of the carcinogenic potential of ethylene oxide in Fischer 344 rats . Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1984;;75:105-117.
16 +
Lynch DW, Lewis TR, Moorman WJ, et al:  Carcinogenic and toxicologic effects of inhaled ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in F344 rats . Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1984;;76:69-84.
17 +
Morgan RW, Claxton KW, Divine BJ, et al:  Mortality among ethylene oxide workers . J Occup Med 1981;;23:767-770.
18 +
Thiess AM, Frentzel-Beyme R, Link R, et al: Mortality Study on Employees Exposed to Alkylene Oxide (Ethylene Oxide/Propylene Oxide) and its Derivate , Occupational Safety and Health Series No. 46. Geneva, International Labour Organization, 1982;.
19 +
Ehrenberg L, Gustafsson P: Chemical Mutagens: Their Uses and Hazards in Medicine and Technology: Report to the National Board of Health, 1959 . Lund, Sweden, Institute of Genetics, 1970;.
20 +
The Role of Genetic Testing in the Prevention of Occupational Disease . Washington, DC, Office of Technology Assessment, 1983;.
21 +
Dunkelberg H:  Carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide and 1,2 propylene oxide upon intragastric administration to rats . Br J Cancer 1982;;46:924-933.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Landrigan PJ, Meinhardt TJ, Gordon J, et al:  Ethylene oxide: An overview of toxicologic and epidemiologic research . Am J Ind Med 1984;;6:103-115.
2 +
Rapoport IA:  Action of ethylene oxide, glycidol and glycols on gene mutation (Russian original) . Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 1948;;60:469-472.
3 +
International Agency for Research on Cancer:  Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk of chemicals to man . IARC 1976;; 11:161-163.
4 +
Hogstedt C, Malmquist N, Wadman B:  Leukemia in workers exposed to ethylene oxide . JAMA 1979;;241:1132-1133.
5 +
Hogstedt C, Rohlén O, Berndtsson BS, et al:  A cohort study of mortality and cancer incidence in ethylene oxide production workers . Br J Ind Med 1979;;36:276-280.
6 +
Garry VF, Hozier J, Jacobs D, et al:  Ethylene oxide: Evidence of human chromosomal effects . Environ Mutagen 1979;;1:371-382.
7 +
Yager JW, Hines CJ, Spear RC:  Exposure to ethylene oxide at work increases sister chromatid exchanges in human peripheral lymphocytes . Science 1983;;219:1221-1223.
8 +
Laurent CH, Frederic J, Léonard AY:  Sister chromatid exchange frequency in workers exposed to high levels of ethylene oxide, in a hospital sterilization service . Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1984;;54:33-43.
9 +
Sarto F, Cominato I, Pinton AM, et al:  Cytogenetic damage in workers exposed to ethylene oxide . Mutat Res 1984;;138:185-195.
10 +
Högstedt B, Gullberg B, Hedness K, et al:  Chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in bone marrow cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes in humans exposed to ethylene oxide . Hereditas 1983;;98:105-113.
11 +
Stolley PD, Soper KA, Galloway SM, et al:  Sister-chromatid exchanges in association with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide . Mutat Res 1984;;129:89-102.
12 +
Richmond GW, Abrahams RH, Nemenzo JH, et al:  An evaluation of possible effects on health following exposure to ethylene oxide . Arch Environ Health 1985;;40:20-25.
13 +
Hansen JP, Allen J, Brock K, et al:  Normal sister chromatid exchange levels in hospital sterilisation employees exposed to ethylene oxide . J Occup Med 1984;;26:29-32.
14 +
Hemminki K, Mutanen P, Niemi M-L:  Spontaneous abortions in hospital sterilising staff . Br Med J 1983;;286:1976-1977.
15 +
Snellings WM, Weil CS, Maronpot RR:  A two-year inhalation study of the carcinogenic potential of ethylene oxide in Fischer 344 rats . Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1984;;75:105-117.
16 +
Lynch DW, Lewis TR, Moorman WJ, et al:  Carcinogenic and toxicologic effects of inhaled ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in F344 rats . Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1984;;76:69-84.
17 +
Morgan RW, Claxton KW, Divine BJ, et al:  Mortality among ethylene oxide workers . J Occup Med 1981;;23:767-770.
18 +
Thiess AM, Frentzel-Beyme R, Link R, et al: Mortality Study on Employees Exposed to Alkylene Oxide (Ethylene Oxide/Propylene Oxide) and its Derivate , Occupational Safety and Health Series No. 46. Geneva, International Labour Organization, 1982;.
19 +
Ehrenberg L, Gustafsson P: Chemical Mutagens: Their Uses and Hazards in Medicine and Technology: Report to the National Board of Health, 1959 . Lund, Sweden, Institute of Genetics, 1970;.
20 +
The Role of Genetic Testing in the Prevention of Occupational Disease . Washington, DC, Office of Technology Assessment, 1983;.
21 +
Dunkelberg H:  Carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide and 1,2 propylene oxide upon intragastric administration to rats . Br J Cancer 1982;;46:924-933.

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