Auto industry metalworking fluid linked to prostate cancer development

September 8, 2005 US researchers have found that men who work with metalworking fluids in the automobile industry may have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer more than 25 years after exposure.

Following reports of prostate cancer in men exposed to metalworking fluids, Dr Ellen Eisen, from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, and colleagues conducted a study among General Motors autoworkers in the USA.

Eisen was aware that prostate cancer is hormone-related and chemicals that interfere with hormones may contribute to the start of prostate cancer.

Metalworking fluids (MWF), commonly referred to as machining fluids (MF) , are used for lubrication during metal manufacturing. The fluids can contain carcinogenic or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Previous studies have observed increased risks of several cancers among MWF-exposed workers.

Eisen's the team identified 872 cases of prostate cancer among the workers between 1985 and 2000. Each person with prostate cancer was then compared with five other workers without the condition to analyse exposure levels to metalworking fluids.

After taking into account prostate risk factors such as a family history of the disease, the researchers found that the risk of prostate cancer increased with high level of exposure to soluble and nonsoluble metalworking fluids 25 years or more in the past.

However, there was no increased risk of the disease for people exposed to such fluids over the last 25 years.

The researchers conclude: "Exposure to oil-based fluids, soluble and straight, is modestly associated with prostate cancer risk among autoworkers, with a latency period of at least 25 years."

The study is published in the current issue of the journal Epidemiology.