Liver Damage and Angiosarcoma in Vinyl Chloride Workers: A Systematic Detection Program

• Published in: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 230; no. 1; pp. 64 - 68
• Main Authors: Makk, Laszlo, Creech, John L, Whelan, Joseph G, Johnson, Maurice N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Medical Association 07-10-1974
• Subjects: Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism; Biopsy; Environmental Exposure; Hemangiosarcoma - chemically induced; Hemangiosarcoma - diagnosis; Hemangiosarcoma - enzymology; Hemangiosarcoma - pathology; Hepatic Artery - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - chemically induced; Liver Neoplasms - diagnosis; Liver Neoplasms - enzymology; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Occupational Diseases - chemically induced; Polyvinyls - adverse effects; Radiography; Radionuclide Imaging; Vinyl Compounds - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0098-7484; 1538-3598
• DOI: 10.1001/jama.1974.03240010032024

Recently, five cases of hepatic angiosarcoma were found in Louisville. All of the patients had worked in a plant engaged in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from vinyl chloride. A systematic health surveillance program was instituted to detect existing liver damage or angiosarcoma and to find early signs of developing liver damage. A protocol was devised that began with on-site phlebotomies done in the plant and progressed to sophisticated hospital studies, if important abnormalities were found.All of the 1,183 employees of the plant were tested. Two new cases of hepatic angiosarcoma and three cases of portal fibrosis were discovered by this program at the initial screening. It is hoped that continuous health monitoring will aid detection of liver abnormalities while still in a reversible or curable state.(JAMA 230:64-68, 1974)