Lead
Linked to Cancer
by Robin Mosman
Recent epidemiological evidence supports an association between stomach
and lung cancer, and exposure to lead.
A study by H. Fu and Dr P. Boffetta reviewed and summarised the
epidemiological evidence on the carcinogenicity of workers with heavy exposure to
inorganic lead, and to organolead compounds. In all 16 studies involving 2,402 deaths from
cancer were reviewed. It showed a significant excess risk of overall cancer, stomach
cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer. One study found that workers exposed to the lead
additive in petrol (tetraethyl lead) were nearly twice as likely to suffer from skin
cancer than non-exposed workers.
Another study observed a small number of brain and respiratory cancers
in workers who manufactured tetraethyl lead. Workers were from the following industries -
battery manufacture, smelter, lead and zinc chromate pigment manufacture, printing and
glassworks.
A separate analysis of studies of heavily exposed workers provided
slightly increased relative risk ratios for cancers of the stomach and lungs.
Reference: Hua Fu and Paola Boffetta. Cancer and occupational
exposure to inorganic lead compounds: a meta-analysis of published data. Occupational
and Environmental Medicine 1995. 52:73-81.
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