International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations
CARPENTRY AND JOINERY
VOL.: 25 (1981) (p. 139)
5. Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation
5.1 Summary of data
An increased proportion of carpenters and joiners among nasal
adenocarcinoma patients is reported from a case-control study from the
UK comparing nasal adenocarcinoma with other types of nasal cancers
and from two studies, one from Australia and one from Sweden,
comparing series of cases of nasal adenocarcinoma with cases of other
nasal cancers. In a cohort mortality study from Denmark, an increased
risk for nasal cancer (any type) is reported for carpenters and
cabinet-makers taken together; three of the four observed deaths
occurred in workers in the latter category. No carpenter was recorded
in a large Danish clinical series of patients with nasal
adenocarcinomas. No cases of nasal cancer were observed among
carpenters in an incidence study in the UK, which revealed a
substantial number of nasal adenocarcinomas in furniture workers. No
excess risk of nasal cancer (all types) for carpenters could be shown
in two case-control studies, one from Canada and one from Finland.
A small elevation of relative risk for lung cancer among carpenters
and joiners has been reported in one analysis of death certificates in
the US, and in each of the three decennial analyses of occupational
mortality reports in England and Wales. Two of these surveys also
indicated an increased mortality for bladder cancer among carpenters
and joiners. Four case-control studies (three from the US, one from
Israel) on Hodgkin's disease show an increased risk for carpenters,
limited in one study to one subcategory of the cases. An elevated risk
is also reported in one analysis of occupational mortality from the
US, but not in a similar study from England and Wales.
An increased risk for stomach cancer was observed in a Washington
State occupational mortality analysis, but not in the data from
England and Wales.
The term 'carpenter' is applied to completely different kinds of jobs
in different countries: carpenters can be employed in occupations such
as building, shipbuilding, metal factories and mining. Therefore, the
exposure of this group of workers to chemicals and other materials
varies widely and comprises a wide range of substances, for some of
which there is evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and/or
experimental animals (see Appendix 4, in this volume).
5.2 Evaluation
The epidemiological data are not sufficient to make a definitive
assessment of the carcinogenic risks of employment as a carpenter or
joiner. A number of studies, however, raise the possibility of an
increased risk of Hodgkin's disease. There is conflicting evidence
about an association between nasal adenocarcinoma and work as a
carpenter. The highest level of relative risk reported is much lower
than that for cabinet-makers and other woodworkers in the furniture
industry, and much of the evidence is anecdotal; the possibility that
the reported cases of nasal cancer had worked in these industries
could not be ruled out. The evidence suggesting increased risks of
lung, bladder and stomach cancer comes from large population-based
occupational mortality statistical studies and is inadequate to allow
an evaluation of risks for these tumours.
Subsequent evaluation: Suppl. 7 (1987)
Last updated: 8 April 1998