[Health effects in petrochemical workers: cohort mortality studies in Italian plants].

The issue of carcinogenicty of petroleum chemicals has been extensively addressed in the scientific literature. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in 1989, classified working in petroleum refineries in Group 2A (probable carcinogen) mainly due to increased risks for skin cancer and leukemia. Subsequent studies highlighted increased mortality from pleural mesothelioma. We present and discuss the findings of the mortality studies in four Italian petrochemical plants. The study population includes: 676 subjects employed in a plant near Rome, 1583 workers of a plant located in the Milan area, 903 workers employed in another northern petrochemical plant (Cremona area) and over 2000 subjects who had worked in a similar plant in Sardinia (Cagliari area). Age-gender-and calendar period adjusted Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated using regional rates. Analyses by duration of employment and time since first employment were also performed.