Occupational bladder cancer in textile dyeing and printing workers: six cases and their significance for screening programs

Article Abstract:

The association of aniline dyes and bladder cancer was first described in 1895. Dye intermediates, such as beta-naphthylamine (BNA) and benzidine have been implicated in the development of bladder cancer; ortho-tolidine and ortho-dianisidine are highly suspect agents. Various locals of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) and the union's Department of Occupational Safety and Health sponsored formal urine screening programs for their members in 1984 and 1985. Other locals conducted informal programs. Six cases from different fabric dyeing plants in New Jersey and North Carolina were reported following these screening programs. The significance of these cases is that the affected workers mixed dyes and pigments and applied them to cloth, rather than working with other dye intermediates or chemical finishing agents. The case histories of these patients, all men, are described. Although the average age of the bladder cancer patients was 56.5 years, they ranged from 38 to 79 years. The latency of the bladder lesions from exposure to diagnosis extended from 18 to 32 years. Microscopic hematuria, rather than cytological findings, prompted further urological investigation and the diagnosis of bladder cancer. There is agreement that exposure to the aniline dyes and their precursors presents high risks for bladder cancer. However, controversy persists concerning appropriate screening for early detection of this occupationally-related cancer. Urine testing alone is not enough. Screening programs will be more successful if they are coupled with worker-oriented educational approaches. The better informed employees are, the greater their compliance with health screening programs will be. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Case studies, Textile factories, Printing plants, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union

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Bladder cancer screening in the United Kingdom

Article Abstract:

Bladder cancer was among the earliest cancers to be associated with occupational risk. Efforts to control bladder cancer began in the 1920s among dye industry workers. As early as 1920 examination of the urine for microscopic hematuria was recommended. In 1959, the value of hematuria testing in the detection of bladder cancer was demonstrated. Since that time, an adapted Papanicolaou has been in use, replacing the hematuria tests. In Great Britain, bladder cancer screening was required in some portion of chemical and related industries under the Carcinogenic Substances Regulations Act, which was passed in 1967. Other plans and programs deal with the personnel of other industries. However, little has changed in bladder cancer screening efforts since the middle 1970s. There are two groups of high-risk occupations in Great Britain: those listed in the 1967 list and those added on the basis of recent studies. The classical high-risk industries are: rubber and rubber product manufacturing, cable manufacturing, organic chemicals industry, gasworks and coke ovens, rodent extermination, sewage works, fire lights and fuel manufacturing, and laboratory work. Other possible high-risk industries include: leather products, medicine and nursing, textile printing and dyeing, hairdressing, aluminum fabrication, security printing, plastics manufacture and transportation. The identification of high-risk occupations and the application of a variety of screening efforts are substantially of little value unless they contribute to decreased mortality. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

United Kingdom, Great Britain

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