Potential risk factors for haematological cancers in semiconductor workers.

Background: There has recently been increased interest in cancer incidence in electronics workers.

Aims: To determine the cancer incidence ratio in electronics workers and the potential factors affecting the risk for development of cancer.

Methods: Epidemiological study performed in electronics workers who were employed between 1999 and 2008 in South Korea. Cancer incidence ratio was analysed with respect to departments, divisions, job titles, gender, age, hepatitis B and C virus infection and work duration. We compared the incidence of haematological cancer in this cohort with that expected in the general population.

Results: The study population was 56283. Overall, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for haematological cancer was 0.85. In particular, the SIR for leukaemia was 0.86 and for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was 0.93, which were not statistically significant. The SIR for NHL was significantly increased [SIR 5.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-20.95] in female office workers. We also found that the SIR for NHL was significantly increased in female workers who tested positive for hepatitis virus infection (SIR 7.69, 95% CI 1.08-54.60).

Conclusions: The raised SIR for NHL among female workers was due to potential risk factors such as hepatitis virus infection although additional research and an ongoing, long-term, prospective epidemiological cohort study is needed.