Carbon black

Epidemiological data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

epidemiological data

Type of information:

calculation (if not (Q)SAR)

Remarks:

Meta-regression analysis

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

test procedure in accordance with generally accepted scientific standards and described in sufficient detail

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Carbon Black and Lung Cancer Mortality – A Meta-regression Analysis Based
on Three Occupational Cohort Studies

Author:

Yong M, Anderle L, Levy L, McCunney RJ

Year:

2019

Bibliographic source:

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Publish Ahead of Print
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001713, September 2019

Materials and methods

Study type:

other: meta-regression analysis of 3 cohorts in UK, USA and Germany

Endpoint addressed:

carcinogenicity

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Meta-regression was used to quantify the likelihood and the magniturde of any relationship between exposure to carbon black and lung cancer. This method used category-specific data instead of subject-level data to assess the association. The data of lung cancer mortality risk estimates and cumulative exposure to carbon black from three cohorts of carbon black production workers were used.

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Carbon black

EC Number:

215-609-9

EC Name:

Carbon black

Cas Number:

1333-86-4

Molecular formula:

C

IUPAC Name:

carbon

Test material form:

other: solid: non-nanoform; solid: nanoform, no surface treatment; solid: nanoform, surface-treated

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Details on study design:

Meta-regression to quantify the likelihood and magnitude of any relationship between exposure to carbon black and lung cancer based on category-specific data. The data of lung cancer mortality risk estimates and cumulative exposure to carbon black from the three cohorts (German, UK and US) of carbon black production workers were used. From the three studies, study-specific relative risk (RR) or hazard ratio (HR) estimates were derived for lung cancer mortality in association with different cumulative carbon black exposure levels relative to the lowest category of exposure for each study.

Exposure assessment:

estimated

Results and discussion

Results:

Three large cohort studies of occupational exposure to carbon black were reviewed and association with lung cancer mortality was studied by meta-regression analysis to derive an exposure-response relationship. Meta-regression analysis of cumulative exposure to carbon black and lung cancer mortality was conducted based on the relative risk estimates reported in three cohort studies of production workers from US, UK, and Germany. A 10 mg/m3.year increase in cumulative exposure to carbon black was associated with a relative risk decrease of 1% (RR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.87 – 1.13) for lung cancer mortality. No exposure-response relationship was observed.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

In this meta-regression analysis of three large occupational mortality studies it was shown that historical workplace exposures to carbon black were not associated with a significant risk of lung cancer.

Executive summary:

Three large cohort studies of occupational exposure to carbon black were reviewed and association with lung cancer mortality was studied by meta-regression analysis to derive an exposure-response relationship. Meta-regression analysis of cumulative exposure to carbon black and lung cancer mortality was conducted based on the relative risk estimates reported in three cohort studies of production workers from US, UK, and Germany. A 10 mg/m3.year increase in cumulative exposure to carbon black was associated with a relative risk decrease of 1% (RR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.87 – 1.13) for

lung cancer mortality. No exposure-response relationship was observed.