Cancer in electrical workers: an analysis of cancer registrations in England, 1981-87

Our plain-English summary of Cancer in electrical workers: an analysis of cancer registrations in England, 1981-87, by N.T. Fear, E. Roman, L.M. Carpenter, et al (British Journal of Cancer, 1996).

The study

• Authors: N.T. Fear, E. Roman, L.M. Carpenter, R. Newton, D. Bull
• Journal: British Journal of Cancer
• Published: 1996;73(7):935-9
• Cited by: 35 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Associations between work in the electrical and electronic industry and cancer incidence were assessed using data for 371 890 cancers registered in England between 1981 and 1987, of which 7981 were in electrical workers. Proportional registration ratios (PRRs) were calculated, both with and without the commonest cancers, with adjustment for age, social class, cancer registry of origin and sex. Of four cancers previously linked with work in the electrical and electronic industry (leukaemia, brain, breast and melanoma), only two were significantly raised: leukaemia (PRR=124, 95% CI=109-142, based on 217 cases) and malignant brain cancer (PRR=118, 95% CI=103-136, based on 204 cases). A significantly increased risk was also observed for pleural cancer (PRR=201, 95% CI=167-241, based on 115 cases). The histology of almost 90% of pleural cancers was coded as mesothelioma, confirming the previously observed association between pleural cancer and exposure to asbestos in electrical workers. The extent to which workplace exposures to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields explains the excesses seen here for leukaemia and brain cancer requires further study.

In plain English

The authors analysed 371 890 cancers registered in England in 1981-87 in people aged 20-74 with a recorded job. Of these, 7981 were in electrical workers (12 job groups, such as electricians and telephone fitters). They compared the share of each cancer type among electrical workers' registrations with the share among all registrations with an adequately described occupation, adjusting for age, social class, registry and sex. Pleural cancer (cancer of the lining around the lungs) was about doubled (proportional registration ratio 201, 95% CI 167-241, 115 cases). Of the 114 pleural cancers in male electrical workers, 88% were coded as mesothelioma. Leukaemia (ratio 124, 95% CI 109-142) and malignant brain cancer (118, 95% CI 103-136) were also raised, and lung cancer was lower (86, 95% CI 82-90). Peritoneal cancer showed a non-significant 50% excess, based on only seven cases. Asbestos exposure itself was not measured. The authors concluded that the findings confirm the previously observed link between pleural cancer and asbestos exposure in electrical workers. They noted that many registrations lacked usable job information and specific exposures were not recorded.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Analysis of routine, population-based cancer registrations using proportional registration ratios. The share of each cancer among electrical workers' registrations was compared with the share among all registrations with an adequately described occupation.
• Who was studied: 371 890 cancers registered in England in 1981-87 among men and women aged 20-74 with valid occupational information. Of these, 7981 were in electrical workers (7531 men, 450 women).
• Exposure: Employment in 12 electrical and electronic job groups, for example electricians, telephone fitters, electrical engineers, cable jointers, coil winders and assemblers. Job groups were defined by the job title recorded at cancer registration. Asbestos and other specific exposures were not measured.
• Main results:
  • Pleural cancer in electrical workers, both sexes combined: PRR 201, 95% CI 167-241, based on 115 cases
  • Of 114 pleural cancers in male electrical workers, 88% had histology coded as mesothelioma, a percentage similar to that among men in all other occupations
  • In men, the raised pleural cancer PRR was similar in those aged under 65 and those aged 65-74
  • Peritoneal cancer showed a 50% excess in electrical workers, based on only seven cases, which was not statistically significant
  • Leukaemia in electrical workers, both sexes: PRR 124, 95% CI 109-142, 217 cases
  • Malignant brain cancer in electrical workers, both sexes: PRR 118, 95% CI 103-136, 204 cases
  • Lung cancer was significantly reduced in electrical workers, both sexes: PRR 86, 95% CI 82-90, p less than 0.001
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the findings confirm the previously observed association between pleural cancer and asbestos exposure in electrical workers. They also concluded that the role of workplace electromagnetic fields in the leukaemia and brain cancer excesses requires further study.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • There were no appropriate denominator data, so ratios for rare cancers such as pleural cancer may be distorted by how common other cancers are
  • Many registrations were excluded because the occupation was inadequately described (48% in men, 71% in women). Occupation was taken from job titles recorded at the time of cancer registration.
  • There was limited information on confounding factors and no data on specific occupational exposures
  • Information on past smoking habits was not available
  • Because many associations were examined, some results may be significant by chance alone

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Cancer Registry, Histology, Mesothelioma.

Related studies

• Women's occupation and cancer: preliminary analysis of cancer registrations in England and Wales, 1971-1990 — J. Simpson, E. Roman, et al. (1999)
• Mortality of UK electricity generation and transmission workers, 1973-2002 — L. Nichols, T. Sorahan (2005)
• Mortality patterns among electrical workers employed in the U.S. construction industry, 1982-1987 — C.F. Robinson, M. Petersen, et al. (1999)
• Variation in number of general practitioner consultations before hospital referral for cancer: findings from the 2010 National Cancer Patient Experience Survey in England — G. Lyratzopoulos, R.D. Neal, et al. (2012)
• A proportional study of cancer registrations of dockyard workers — K.P. Lumley (1976)
• Use of exposure registration in the prevention of occupational cancer in Finland — J. Alho, T. Kauppinen, et al. (1988)

Browse more research in British Journal of Cancer, or return to medical research.