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Review of the Environmental Protection Agency's Draft IRIS Assessment of Tetrachloroethylene (2010) / Chapter Skim
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9 General Review of Epidemiologic Evidence Pertaining to Cancer
Pages 81-85

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From page 81...
... The challenges of obtaining valid estimates of exposure, in addition to the challenges inherent in observational epidemiology, make it difficult to draw conclusions about causal associations between tetrachloroethylene and cancer in humans. The epidemiologic literature relating tetrachloroethylene to cancer is notable in three ways: a number of studies show associations with a variety of cancers, there is limited consistency between studies with respect to the associations, and few studies were able to quantify or even identify specific tetrachloroethylene exposure.
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From page 82...
... Several of the criticized features of the case-control design that are mentioned are not inherent in the design, such as that associations may be nonlinear (this design does not require categorical exposure measures) or that duration and cumulative exposure do not address age at first exposure (this information can simply be asked of participants)
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From page 83...
... The draft IRIS assessment indicated that the strongest evidence linking tetrachloroethylene to cancer consisted of observed associations with esophageal cancer and lymphoma (page 4-184, lines 6-17)
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From page 84...
... Thus, the committee therefore concluded that the epidemiologic literature is not sufficient to support an association between tetrachloroethylene and esophageal cancer. LYMPHOID CANCERS EPA's draft IRIS assessment concludes that the epidemiologic data "suggested an association between lymphoma and tetrachloroethylene" (p.
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From page 85...
... RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS Population-based studies, preferably in well-defined occupational cohorts, that can measure both cancer incidence and mortality and have sophisticated exposure reconstruction components that are specific to tetrachloroethylene would add significantly to the literature. The studies must also be adequately controlled for the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption to address the lingering questions of the association between tetrachloroethylene and esophageal cancer.
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Key Terms

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  • alcohol consumption

  • critical review
  • lymphoid cancers
  • tetrachloroethylene exposure
  • balanced critique
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  • mortality studies
  • limited evidence
  • exposure information
  • risk associated
  • aircraft manufacturers

  • significant odds
  • elevated risk
  • causal associations
  • raises concern
  • limited consistency

  • causation outlined
  • odds ratio
  • sophisticated exposure
  • assessment emphasizes
  • population studied

  • whom exposure
  • job title
  • ized mortality
  • null due
  • observed associations


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