Occupational exposure to benzene and risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in an extended follow‐up of two population‐based prospective cohorts of Chinese men and women

The carcinogenicity of benzene was reevaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2017, with the Working Group reaffirming positive yet inconclusive associations with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). To extend our previous observation of a significant exposure‐response for cumulative occupational benzene exposure and NHL risk among Chinese women in a population‐based cohort in Shanghai, we extended follow‐up of this cohort and pooled the data with a similarly designed population‐based cohort of men in Shanghai. Cumulative exposure estimates were derived for 134,449 participants in the pooled analysis by combining ordinal job‐exposure matrix intensity ratings with quantitative benzene measurements from an inspection database of Shanghai factories. Associations between benzene exposure metrics and NHL (n = 363 cases including multiple myeloma [MM]) were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. Ever occupational exposure to benzene in the pooled population was associated with NHL risk (HR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.2–2.0), and exposure‐response relationships were observed for increasing duration (ptrend = .003) and cumulative exposure (ptrend = .003). Associations with ever exposure, duration, and cumulative exposure were similar for NHL with and without MM in the case definition, including lifetime cumulative exposures in the highest quartile (HR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1–2.4 with MM included; HR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1–2.7 with MM excluded). An elevated risk of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia subtype was suggested in the pooled analyses (HR for ever vs. never exposure = 2.3, 95% CI = 0.9–5.6). These observations provide additional support for a plausible association between occupational benzene exposure and risk of NHL. What's New? The association between occupational benzene exposure and risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is suggestive but remains inconclusive. Occupational benzene exposure was historically high in China. This study, using a novel approach combining a benzene‐specific job‐exposure matrix with historical benzene measurements, evaluated NHL risk in association with occupational exposure among men and women in Shanghai. Occupational benzene exposure was found to be significantly associated with NHL risk. In addition, increasing duration and cumulative benzene exposure exhibited exposure‐response associations. The findings support a plausible association between occupational benzene exposure and risk of NHL.