Cancer mortality update with an exposure response analysis among styrene‐exposed workers in the reinforced plastics boatbuilding industry

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Abstract
Background: There is sparse and inconsistent evidence of an association between styrene exposure and cancer.Methods: This study examines mortality patterns in a previously studied cohort of 5201 workers employed in two Washington boat‐building facilities, extending follow‐up 5 years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated using state rates as referent. Cox regression calculated rate ratios (RR) per year employed in styrene‐exposed exposed jobs.Results: No excess deaths from lymphohematopoietic cancers (LHCs) were observed (SMR: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.74‐1.30) when compared to the referent population; however, the relative risk increased with duration of employment in internal analyses. Conversely, lung cancer mortality was significantly elevated (SMR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08‐1.41), but there was no evidence of a dose‐response relationship.Conclusion: We found evidence that occupational exposure to styrene was associated with increased LHC risk, while no such association was observed for lung cancer.
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