Lymphohematopoietic cancer mortality among Korean semiconductor manufacturing workers

Abstract

Background We aimed to examine the lymphohematopoietic cancer mortality in a cohort of workers at a semiconductor manufacturing company in South Korea according to their jobs.

Methods A retrospective cohort was constructed using the personnel records of semiconductor manufacturing workers who were employed in a semiconductor company in South Korea in 1998–2012. Data on their vital status and causes of death were obtained from the National Statistical Office of South Korea. The standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) of lymphohematopoietic cancer were calculated.

Results A total of 288 deaths were reported, of which 22 were caused by lymphohematopoietic cancer, among 65,782 workers in 878,325 person-years. The SMRs for lymphohematopoietic cancer were 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39–1.40; the number of observed cases [Obs] = 11) among male workers and 1.71 (95% CI = 0.85–3.06; Obs = 11) among female workers. Among female operators, excess deaths due to lymphohematopoietic cancer (SMR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.24–4.76) and leukemia (SMR = 2.92, 95% CI = 1.26–5.76) were observed. However, they were not observed among office workers, facility managers, utility managers, or process managers.

Conclusion Female operators involved in the semiconductor wafer fabrication process had higher risk of mortality from lymphohematopoietic cancer.