Talc (Mg3H2(SiO3)4)

Epidemiological data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

epidemiological data

Type of information:

other: Human observational study for talc

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

study well documented, meets generally accepted scientific principles, acceptable for assessment

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Cancer incidence among women in the Norwegian pulp and paper industry.

Author:

Langseth H, Andersen A

Year:

1999

Bibliographic source:

Am J Ind Med, 36:108–113. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097- 0274(199907)36:1<108::AID-AJIM15>3.0.CO;2-N. PMID:10361594

Materials and methods

Study type:

cohort study (retrospective)

Endpoint addressed:

acute toxicity: inhalation

respiratory sensitisation

repeated dose toxicity: inhalation

carcinogenicity

Test guideline

Qualifier:

no guideline followed

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Comparison with 5-year age-specific rates in Norwegian women; cancer incidence from National Cancer Registry.
Langseth and Andersen (1999) examined cancer incidence among a cohort of 4247 women who had been employed for at least 1 year between 1920 and 1993 in the Norwegian pulp and paper industry. The women had worked mainly in paper sorting and packing departments in 10 paper mills or in administration (85% of the cohort). Production was judged to involve occupational exposures that included paper dusts, microbes, formaldehyde, talc and asbestos (the latter was used as insulation material in boilers and in the breaks of various rolling machines), but no measurement data were available. Women were followed for cancer incidence between 1953 and 1993 and SIRs were calculated by comparing the observed incidence to the 5-year age-specific incidence rates for the female population of Norway. Information on cancer incidence was obtained by linkage with the National Cancer Registry and information on dates of death and emigration was obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway. Records of women who died between 1953 and 1960 were identified manually. Between 1953 and 1993, 535 women in the cohort had died, 65 women had emigrated and 380 new cases of cancer had been diagnosed. The SIR for all cancers was 1.2 (380 observed; 95% CI, 1.1– 1.3). An excess of ovarian cancer diagnoses was observed (37 observed; SIR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.1).

GLP compliance:

not specified

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Talc (Mg3H2(SiO3)4)

EC Number:

238-877-9

EC Name:

Talc (Mg3H2(SiO3)4)

Cas Number:

14807-96-6

Molecular formula:

H2Mg3O12Si4

IUPAC Name:

Talc (Mg3H2(SiO3)4)

Test material form:

solid

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Ethical approval:

no

Details on study design:

4247 women who had been employed for at least 1 year between 1920 and 1993 in the Norwegian pulp and paper industry. The women had worked mainly in paper sorting and packing departments in 10 paper mills or in administration (85% of the cohort).
Production was judged to involve occupational exposures that included paper dusts, microbes, formaldehyde, talc and asbestos (the latter was used as insulation material in boilers and in the breaks of various rolling machines), but no measurement data were available. Women were followed for cancer incidence between 1953 and 1993 and SIRs were calculated by comparing the observed incidence to the 5-year age-specific incidence rates for the female population of Norway. Information on cancer incidence was obtained by linkage with the National Cancer Registry and information on dates of death and emigration was obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway. Records of women who died between 1953 and 1960 were identified manually. Between 1953 and 1993, 535 women in the cohort had died, 65 women had emigrated and 380 new cases of cancer had been diagnosed. The SIR for all cancers was 1.2 (380 observed; 95% CI, 1.1– 1.3). An excess of ovarian cancer diagnoses was observed (37 observed; SIR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.1).
In the analyses, workers were also stratified by exposure into the following categories: short-term (< 3 years) versus long-term (≥ 3 years); period of first exposur(1920–39, 1940–59, 1960–74, 1975–93); and time since first exposure (3–14 years, 15– 29 years, ≥ 30 years). The excess risk was predominantly seen among women who had been employed in the industry for 3 years or more (31 observed; SIR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1– 2.3). The excess risk for ovarian cancer was also highest for women under the age of 55 years at diagnosis, with an SIR of 8.0 (six observed; 95% CI, 2.9–17.4) for women aged 25–35 years at diagnosis. Among women who worked in the paper mills, the SIR for ovarian cancer was 2.1 (18 observed; 95% CI, 1.3–3.4). In the discussion, the authors noted that talc is added as a filler in paper mills and may contribute to the excess risk for ovarian cancer observed.

Exposure assessment:

estimated

Details on exposure:

4247 women employed >1 year, 1920–93; follow-up of cancer incidence, 1953–93

Results and discussion

Results:

the authors noted that talc is added as a filler in paper mills and may contribute to the excess risk for ovarian cancer observed.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

the authors noted that talc is added as a filler in paper mills and may contribute to the excess risk for ovarian cancer observed.