Slack wax (petroleum)

Epidemiological data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

epidemiological data

Type of information:

migrated information: read-across based on grouping of substances (category approach)

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: This study is classified as reliable with restrictions because it is a well documented study following sound scientific principles.

Data source

Reference

Reference 1

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Cancer of the scrotum in wax pressmen I. epidemiology

Author:

Hendricks, N.V., Linden, C.E., Berry, C.M., Lione, J.G., Thorpe, J.J.

Year:

1959

Bibliographic source:

AMA Arch Industrial Health 19:524-529

Reference 2

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Cancer of the scrotum in wax pressmen. II. Clinical observations

Author:

Lione, J.G. and Denholm, J.S.

Year:

1959

Bibliographic source:

A. M. A. Arch Industrial Health 19:530-539

Materials and methods

Study type:

cohort study (retrospective)

Endpoint addressed:

carcinogenicity

Test guideline

Qualifier:

no guideline available

Principles of method if other than guideline:

The incidence of scrotum cancer in wax pressmen was compared to the incidence of the general population. Details were collected on the wax pressmen.

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

most likely 64742-61-6

IUPAC Name:

most likely 64742-61-6

Constituent 2

Reference substance name:

Slack Wax (Carcinogenic or Unknown Feed-stock)

IUPAC Name:

Slack Wax (Carcinogenic or Unknown Feed-stock)

Test material form:

liquid: viscous

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Ethical approval:

not specified

Exposure assessment:

not specified

Results and discussion

Results:

The scrotal cancers observed were only among those men who had skin contact with aromatic oils which had been mechanically removed from thefeedstock's during the wax manufacturing process, suggesting that these cancers were not due to the waxy paraffins per se, but to aromatic constituents removed from the oils during wax manufacture. More than 10 years of exposure was necessary to develop scrotal cancer with an average exposure time of 23 years.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

The scrotal cancers observed were only among those men who had skin contact with aromatic oils which had been mechanically removed from the feedstocks during the wax manufacturing process, suggesting that these cancers were not due to the waxy paraffins per se, but to aromatic constituents removed from the oils during wax manufacture. More than 10 years of exposure was necessary to develop scrotal cancer with an average exposure time of 23 years.

Executive summary:

Scrotal cancers were reported in the late 1950s among wax pressmen. The slack wax would most likely be classified as 'crude' by current standards, and any entrained oil would most likely be classified as unrefined /acid treated lubricant base oil. Hendricks et al. (1959) examined the cancer incidence among 82 workers employed 10 or more years as pressmen in a wax manufacturing department at arefinery. Follow up from 1937 to 1956 indicated 19 workers had developed cancers, and 11 had cancers of the scrotum. The authors calculated the scrotal cancer rate as 806 per 100,000 men aged 45-64; the expected rate among white males of the same age was 0.15 per 100,000. There were also three cases of stomach cancer and three cancers of other digestive sites (no expected numbers were provided). The scrotal cancers observed were only among those men who had skin contact with aromatic oils which had been mechanically removed from the feedstocks during the wax manufacturing process, suggesting that these cancers were not due to the waxy paraffins per se, but to aromatic constituents removed from the oils during wax manufacture. Lione et al. (1959) provided details on the cases and indicated that there were no cases of scrotal cancer in workers who had been wax pressmen for less than 10 years. The range of exposure was 14 to 37 years with an average of 23 years.