Women Textile Workers In Shanghai Research Articles

Shift work and breast cancer among women textile workers in Shanghai, China.

Although night-shift work has been associated with elevated risk of breast cancer in numerous epidemiologic studies, evidence is not consistent. We conducted a nested case-cohort study to investigate a possible association between shift work including a night shift and risk of breast cancer within a large cohort of women textile workers in Shanghai, China. The study included 1,709 incident breast cancer cases and 4,780 non-cases. Data on historical shift work schedules were collected by categorized jobs from the factories, where the study subjects had worked, and then were linked to the complete work histories of each subject. No jobs in the factories involved exclusively night-shift work. Therefore, night shift was evaluated as part of a rotating shift work pattern. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modeling adapted for the case-cohort design for years of night-shift work and the total number of nights worked. Additionally, analyses were repeated with exposures lagged by 10 and 20years. We observed no associations with either years of night-shift work or number of nights worked during the entire employment period, irrespective of lag intervals. Findings from the age-stratified analyses were very similar to those observed for the entire study population. The findings from this study provide no evidence to support the hypothesis that shift work increases breast cancer risk. The positive association between shift work and breast cancer observed in Western populations, but not observed in this and other studies of the Chinese population, suggests that the effect of shift work on breast cancer risk may be different in Asian and Caucasian women.

Occupational Exposure to Magnetic Fields and Breast Cancer Among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai, China

Exposure to magnetic fields (MFs) is hypothesized to increase the risk of breast cancer by reducing production of melatonin by the pineal gland. A nested case-cohort study was conducted to investigate the association between occupational exposure to MFs and the risk of breast cancer within a cohort of 267,400 female textile workers in Shanghai, China. The study included 1,687 incident breast cancer cases diagnosed from 1989 to 2000 and 4,702 noncases selected from the cohort. Subjects' complete work histories were linked to a job-exposure matrix developed specifically for the present study to estimate cumulative MF exposure. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modeling that was adapted for the case-cohort design. Hazard ratios were estimated in relation to cumulative exposure during a woman's entire working years. No association was observed between cumulative exposure to MFs and overall risk of breast cancer. The hazard ratio for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of cumulative exposure was 1.03 (95% confidence interval: 0.87, 1.21). Similar null findings were observed when exposures were lagged and stratified by age at breast cancer diagnosis. The findings do not support the hypothesis that MF exposure increases the risk of breast cancer.

Evidence of a paradoxical relationship between endotoxin and lung cancer after accounting for left truncation in a study of Chinese female textile workers

IntroductionOccupational exposure to endotoxin, found in Gram-negative bacteria in organic material, has been associated predominantly with a reduced risk of lung cancer among workers. An inverse exposure–response gradient among women...

Occupational exposures and mortality from cardiovascular disease among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

Exposure to textile fiber dusts, like particulate air pollution, may be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Bacterial endotoxin, a potent inflammagen found in cotton dust, may be a specific risk factor. Female textile workers (N = 267,400) in Shanghai, China were followed for CVD mortality (1989-2000). Factory exposures were approximated by sector classifications based on materials and processes. Quantitative endotoxin and cotton dust measures were available for a subcohort (n = 3,188). Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Slightly elevated mortality risk for the cotton sector was seen for ischemic stroke (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.97-1.31) and hemorrhagic stroke (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.23). Similar hemorrhagic stroke mortality risk was observed in high dust sectors (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.24). No association was observed for ischemic heart disease. Exposures in textile factories may have contributed to CVD mortality among this cohort. The specific components of these exposures that may be harmful are not clear and should be further investigated.

Reproductive history and mortality from cardiovascular disease among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

Few studies have examined the possible effects of reproductive factors on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks in Asian women. A cohort of 267,400 female textile workers in Shanghai, China, was administered a questionnaire at enrolment (1989-91) and followed for mortality through 2000. Relative risks (hazard ratios) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modelling, adjusting for relevant co-variates. Risks were not consistently associated with age at menopause, parity, stillbirths, miscarriages or duration of lactation. An increasing trend in IHD mortality risk, but not stroke, was observed with decreasing age at menarche. There was no evidence of increased CVD mortality risk by oral or injectable contraceptive use or induced abortions. As expected, greater mortality rates from CVD and increased CVD risks were also observed with smoking. Use of steroid contraceptives, induced abortions and reduced parity from China's one-child-per-family policy has not had an adverse effect on risk of CVD mortality in this cohort.

Occupational exposures and mortality from cardiovascular disease among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

ObjectivesTo explore whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is associated with occupational exposures in the textile industry, including bacterial endotoxin, a contaminant in cotton dust and a potent inflammagen.MethodsA cohort of...

Lung cancer and occupational exposures other than cotton dust and endotoxin among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

ObjectivesNumerous epidemiological studies of lung cancer among textile workers worldwide consistently indicate reduced risks related to cotton dust exposure, presumably due to endotoxin contamination. Our objective was to investigate associations...

Physical activity, physical exertion, and miscarriage risk in women textile workers in Shanghai, China

Strenuous occupational physical activity and physical demands may be risk factors for adverse reproductive outcomes. A retrospective study in the Shanghai, China textile industry study collected women's self-reported reproductive history. Occupational physical activity assessment linked complete work history data to an industry-specific job-exposure matrix. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by multivariate logistic regression for the first pregnancy outcome and utilized generalized estimating equations to consider all pregnancies per woman. Compared with women employed in sedentary jobs, a reduced risk of miscarriage was found for women working in jobs with either light (OR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.50) or medium (OR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.66) physical activity during the first pregnancy and over all pregnancies (light OR 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.61; medium OR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.80). Frequent crouching was associated with elevated risk (OR 1.82, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.93; all pregnancies per woman). Light/medium occupational physical activity may have reduced miscarriage risk, while specific occupational characteristics such as crouching may have increased risk in this cohort.

Dust and chemical exposures, and miscarriage risk among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

Introduction:To investigate possible associations between miscarriage and occupational exposures in the Shanghai textile industry.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of miscarriages among 1752 women in the Shanghai textile industry was conducted. Reproductive...

Occupational Exposures and Breast Cancer Among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai

Breast cancer incidence rates have been increasing in China over the past 2 decades. Most studies have focused on reproductive, dietary, and genetic risk factors. Little is known about the contribution of occupational exposures. We conducted a case-cohort study within a cohort of female textile workers who had participated in a randomized trial of breast self-examination in Shanghai, China. We compared 1709 incident breast cancer cases with an age-stratified reference subcohort (n = 3155 noncases). Cox proportional hazards modeling, adapted for the case-cohort design, was used to estimate hazard ratios for breast cancer in relation to duration of employment in various job processes and duration of exposure to several agents. We also evaluated the associations of cotton dust and endotoxin with breast cancer. Cumulative exposures to cotton dust and endotoxin demonstrated strong inverse gradients with breast cancer risk when exposures were lagged by 20 years (trend P-values <0.001). We did not observe consistent associations with exposures to electromagnetic fields, solvents, or other chemicals. Endotoxin or other components of cotton dust exposures may have reduced risks for breast cancer in this cohort, perhaps acting at early stages of carcinogenesis. Replication of these findings in other occupational settings with similar exposures will be needed to confirm or refute any hypothesis regarding protection against breast cancer.

Occupational Exposures and Breast Cancer among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai

Occupational Exposures and Breast Cancer among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai

Risks of biliary tract cancer and occupational exposures among Shanghai women textile workers: A case‐cohort study

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a relatively rare malignancy worldwide. Little is known about potential etiologic contributions of occupational exposures. The associations between occupational exposures to textile dusts and chemicals and BTC are investigated in a cohort of 267,400 women textile workers in Shanghai, China. A nested case-cohort analysis of 162 BTC cases diagnosed during 1989-1998 was conducted with a reference subcohort of 3,188 workers. Exposures to workplace dusts and chemicals were reconstructed by linking complete work history data with a job-exposure matrix (JEM). Hazard ratios (HR) and dose-response trends were estimated by Cox proportional hazards modeling modified for case-cohort design. An elevated risk of > or = 1-year employment in maintenance jobs (HR 2.92, 95% CI: 1.48, 5.73) with a significant trend by duration is observed. Excess risk was also found for > or = 20 years exposure to metals (HR 2.50, 95% CI: 1.09, 5.72). Long-term exposure to maintenance work and metals in the textile industry may have increased BTC risk in this population.

Occupational risk factors for nasopharyngeal cancer among female textile workers in Shanghai, China

Aims: To investigate whether occupational exposure to dusts and chemicals in the Chinese textile industry are associated with risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. Methods: Sixty seven nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cases identified...

Reproductive history, occupational exposures, and thyroid cancer risk among women textile workers in Shanghai, China

Thyroid cancer risk has been previously associated with increased age at first pregnancy and history of miscarriage. Occupational risk factors for thyroid cancer, with the exception of radioactive iodine, have not been well investigated. We conducted a case-cohort study nested in a cohort of 267,400 female textile workers in Shanghai, China, who had been followed for cancer incidence during 1989-1998. The analysis included 130 incident thyroid cases and 3,187 subcohort non-cases. Reproductive history was determined by questionnaire at baseline. Historical exposures were reconstructed from work history and information on factory processes and exposures. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for reproductive factors and occupational exposures. Associations were observed between thyroid cancer and employment in jobs with 10 or more years of benzene exposure (HR 6.43, 95% CI: 1.08, 38) and formaldehyde exposure (HR 8.33, 95% CI: 1.16, 60). Administration workers also had an increased risk (HR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.25). No associations between examined reproductive factors and thyroid cancer were observed in this study. Despite statistically imprecise risk estimates, the findings suggest potential associations with some occupational chemical exposures in this cohort of textile workers.

155: Reduced Lung Cancer Risk Associated with Cotton Dust Exposure in Women Textile Workers in Shanghai, China

155: Reduced Lung Cancer Risk Associated with Cotton Dust Exposure in Women Textile Workers in Shanghai, China

Cancer among women textile workers in Shanghai, China: Overall incidence patterns, 1989–1998

Cancer incidence in women textile workers has not been adequately studied. The aim of this study was to examine site-specific cancer incidence patterns in a cohort of 267,400 women textile workers in Shanghai, China. Women employed by the Shanghai Textile Industry Bureau (STIB) were followed for cancer incidence from 1989 to 1998. Age-adjusted standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed based on Shanghai Cancer Registry (SCR) rates. There was a decrease in cancer incidence for the cohort compared with urban Shanghai women (SIR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.89-0.93). There were small increased risks of other endocrine tumors (SIR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.02-1.65). There were decreased risks for esophageal (SIR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.44-0.66), stomach (SIR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.73-0.85), rectal (SIR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.78-0.98), lung (SIR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.74-0.86), cervical (SIR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.28-0.50), ovarian (SIR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.75-0.96), and bladder cancers (SIR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46-0.85). Women employed in the textile industry had a lower than expected cancer experience compared with urban Shanghai women. Further research on this cohort will examine associations between site-specific cancers and occupational exposures to dusts and chemicals.