Air Quality Criteria for Lead Volume II of II - (NEPIS)(EPA) - US ...

AX6-205
Table AX6-7.4 (cont’d). Other Studies of Lead Exposure and Cancer
Reference, Study
Location, and Period Study Description Pb Measurement Findings and Interpretation
Asia (cont’d)
Hu et al. (1999)
China
1989-1996
Shukla et al. (1998)
India
1995-1996
Case-control design.
Cases: 383 patients with histologically
confirmed primary meningiomas
occurring during 1989-1996 at 6 Chinese
hospitals.
Controls: 366 patients with nonneurological,
nonmalignant disease
matched by age, gender, and residence
from the same hospitals (excluding one
cancer-only center).
Case-control design.
Cases: 38 patients with newly
diagnosed, histologically confirmed gall
bladder cancer cases assembled from a
surgical unit.
Controls: 58 patients with gall stones
diagnosed at the same surgical unit,
matched on geographic area.
Mean bile Pb content was compared
between cases and controls.
Patients were interviewed, and
those with factory or farm
occupations were further
interviewed to identify
exposure to Pb (or other
potentially toxic substances).
Heavy metal content was
measured in bile drawn from
the gall bladder at time of
surgery.
OR (95% CI); number of cases
Occupational exposure to Pb:
Male: 7.20 (1.00, 51.72); 6
Female: 5.69 (1.39, 23.39); 10
Results were adjusted for income, education, and fruit and vegetable
intake, plus cigarette pack-yrs for the women. No control for
exposure to additional metals or other occupational exposures.
Bile Pb content: mean (SE)
Gall bladder cancer: 58.38 mg/L (1.76)
Gallstones: 3.99 mg/L (0.43)
Cadmium and chromium levels also were elevated in cancer patients,
but less than Pb. No control for smoking or any other risk factors.