Occupational exposure to organic solvents and risk of bladder cancer

This population-based case-control study (1182 cases, 1408 controls) investigated the association between occupational solvent exposure and bladder cancer risk. Using a job-exposure matrix (CANJEM) and a hybrid approach integrating CANJEM with detailed occupational histories, researchers assessed exposure to benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX). Increased bladder cancer risks were observed for individual exposure to benzene, toluene, and xylene. A statistically significant exposure-response relationship was found for cumulative BTX exposure, particularly with the hybrid metric, suggesting that combining CANJEM with subject-specific information enhances exposure assessment. These findings highlight the potential role of BTX in bladder cancer etiology and underscore the need for further research into the carcinogenicity of these solvents, especially in scenarios of concurrent exposure.

Shuai Xie, Melissa C. Friesen, Dalsu Baris, Molly Schwenn, Nathaniel Rothman, Alison Johnson, Margaret R. Karagas, Debra T. Silverman, Stella Koutros