Abstract 1877: Lung cancer risk in painters: Results from the SYNERGY pooled analysis
Authors: Guha Neela , Olsson Ann , Brüning Thomas , Pesch Beate , Kendzia Benjamin , Wichmann Heinz-Erich , Brüske Irene , Consonni Dario , Landi Maria Teresa , Caporaso Neil , Siemiatycki Jack , Gustavsson Per , Plato Nils , Merletti Franco , Mirabelli Dario , Richiardi Lorenzo , Ahrens Wolfgang , Pohlabeln Hermann , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Zaridze David , Cassidy Adrian , Lissowska Jolanta , Szeszenia-Dabrowska Neonila , Stücker Isabelle , Benhamou Simone , Bencko Vladimir , Foretova Lenka , Janout Vladimir , Rudnai Peter , Fabianova Eleonora , Dumitru Rodica Stanescu , Forastiere Francesco , Bueno-de-Mesquita Bas , Gross Isabelle M. , Benhaim-Luzon Veronique , Peters Susan , Vermeulen Roel , Boffetta Paolo , Kromhout Hans , Straif Kurt 
Published: August 2014

“Occupational exposure as a painter” was classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) based on increased risks of cancers of the lung, bladder, and mesothelioma. Painters are exposed to a mixture of known and suspected lung carcinogens; thus it has been difficult to identify the specific agent(s) contributing to the elevated risk of lung cancer. Although the exposure to occupational carcinogens could differ according to the job duties of a painter, it is unknown whether the risk of lung cancer differs according to the painter type. Data from the SYNERGY study were used to evaluate the risk of lung cancer associated with ever working as a painter, duration of employment, and type of painter (classified according to ISCO and ISIC codes). SYNERGY is a pooled effort of 11 case-control studies in European countries and Canada that includes detailed individual data on smoking for 13389 lung cancer cases and 16384 age- and sex-matched controls. Among the cases and controls, there were 462 and 383 painters, respectively. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression models were adjusted for age, gender, centre, tobacco pack-years, and occupational exposures to asbestos, silica, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chromium VI and nickel as assessed by a job-exposure matrix. An odds ratio (OR) of 1.31 (95% CI, 1.12-1.45) was associated with ever working as painter and the risk of lung cancer increased with increasing years of employment (p-value for trend = 0.0004). A similar magnitude of effect and trend with duration of employment was observed in construction painters (ISCO 93120/ISIC 5000) but not in automobile painters (ISCO 93960/ISIC 3843,9513). Results were similar when restricted to men but uninformative for women only due to small numbers. There was no significant difference in risk when stratified by histological type and restricted to never smokers. Painters, particularly in the construction industry, are at an increased risk for lung cancer and this risk increases with duration of employment. These results will be further refined by specific type of painter and by including additional studies to increase the precision of the risk estimates.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1877. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1877