Occupational Benzene Exposure and Lung Cancer in Human Studies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Wenxin Wan, Susan Peters, Lützen Portengen, Ronnie Babigumira, Jo S Stenehjem, David B. Richardson, Roel Vermeulen
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Benzene is classified as carcinogenic to humans based on evidence that benzene causes acute myeloid leukemia. However, there is limited evidence that benzene causes lung cancer. OBJECTIVES: We performed a systematic review, quality assessment, and meta-analysis of published cohort and case-control studies on the association between occupational benzene exposure and lung cancer risk. METHODS: criteria. Six risk of bias (ROB) domains were constructed from the NOS criteria to identify and quantify possible biases and their impacts on parameter estimates. Meta-analysis relative risk (pooled RR) and associated confidence intervals were calculated using random-effects models, and a flexible exposure-response meta-regression was fitted to assess the shape of the association. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the consistency of results. RESULTS: ). Subgroup analyses revealed that larger pooled RRs in studies based on highly exposed groups had higher overall quality and better exposure assessments and included both males and females (as opposed to only males). A positive linear trend was observed in the exposure-response meta-analysis. DISCUSSION: Our meta-analysis supports an association between occupational benzene exposure and an increased risk of lung cancer. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP15086.