Paranasal sinus cancers

Early epidemiological studies suggested an association between the manufacture of isopropyl alcohol and paranasal sinus cancer/ The risk for laryngeal cancer may also have been elevated in these workers. The increased cancer incidence, however, appears to be associated with some aspect of the strong-acid manufacturing process rather than the isopropyl alcohol itself It is unclear whether the cancer risk is due to the presence of diisopropyl sulfate, which is an intermediate in the process, to isopropyl oils, which are formed as byproducts, or to other agents, such as sulfuric acid. ... 

Hayes RB et al Cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses and formaldehyde exposure. IntJ Cancer 37 487M-92, 1986... 

Controversy as to whether nickel carbonyl causes cancer arose from observation of increased incidence of cancer of the paranasal sinuses and lungs of workers in nickel refineries. Suspicion of carcinogenicity focused primarily on nickel carbonyl vapor, although there were concurrent exposures to respirable particles of nickel, nickel subsulfide, and nickel oxide. Subsequent studies have shown an increased risk of lung and sinus cancer in nickel refineries where nickel carbonyl was not used in the process. Furthermore, the incidence of respiratory cancer decreased greatly by 1930 despite continued exposure of workers to the same levels of nickel carbonyl through 1957. 

An increased incidence of cancer of the paranasal sinuses and laryngeal cancer was observed in workers at factories where isopropanol was manufactured by the strong-acid process. One case-control study investigated the risk associated with occupational exposure to isopropanol, but for none of the investigated cancer sites was a significant increase in risk observed. 

Selected Case-Control Studies. Luce et al. (1993b) attempted to detennine whether occupational exposure to fonnaldehyde was associated with an increased risk of sinonasal cancer in humans. Case subjects were patients with primary malignancies of the nasal and paranasal sinuses. Odds ratios for squamous cell carcinomas in formaldehyde-exposed workers, when adjusted for wood dust and glue exposure, were not significantly elevated. The odds ratio for adenocarcinomas was confounded by the frequent co-exposure to wood dust, a known carcinogen. However, in those exposed to wood dust, an increased odds ratio was noted in those also exposed to formaldehyde. The authors concluded that the data did not support an increased risk of nasal cancers due to formaldehyde alone. 

Brinton LA, Blot WJ, Becker JA, et al. 1984. A case-control study of cancers of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Am J Epidemiol 119 896-906. 

TO Lungs, paranasal sinus, CNS, repro sys [lung nasal cancer] ... 

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