Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41146278›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental health : a global access science source2025

Occupational exposure to formaldehyde and risk of lymphoma subtypes: results of a multicentre Italian case-control study.

Pierluigi Cocco, Federico Meloni, Carlotta Trobbiani, Lucia Miligi, Daniela Ferrante, Marina Padoan, Giovanni Maria Ferri, Angela Gambelunghe, Giacomo Muzi, Corrado Magnani and 8 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental health : a global access science source, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Pierluigi CoccoCentre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom. pierluigi.cocco@manchester.ac.uk.
Federico MeloniDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Monserrato (Cagliari), Italy.
Carlotta TrobbianiDepartment of Health Sciences, State University of Milan, Milano , Italy.
Lucia MiligiEnvironmental and Occupational Epidemiology Branch - Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy.
Daniela FerranteDepartment of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
Marina PadoanDepartment of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
Giovanni Maria FerriInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), Unit of Occupational Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Angela GambelungheDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Giacomo MuziSection of Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia , Italy.
Corrado MagnaniDepartment of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
Angelo PalmasUnit of Haematology, San Francesco Hospital, Nuoro, Italy.
Giovanna PirasUnit of Haematology, San Francesco Hospital, Nuoro, Italy.
Sara PiroEnvironmental and Occupational Epidemiology Branch - Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy.
Mariagrazia Zucca, Local Health Unit 7, Carbonia, Italy.
Maria Grazia EnnasDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
Roberta ZanottiDepartment of Medicine, Haematology Unit, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health-Section of Pathology, Verona University Hospital, Verona , Italy.
Aldo ScarpaDepartment of Medicine, Haematology Unit, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health-Section of Pathology, Verona University Hospital, Verona , Italy.
Sara De MatteisDepartment of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

Funding

Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro IG 2011/11855Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca PRIN 2007WEJLZBMinistero dell'Università e della Ricerca 20092ZELR2
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen, with sufficient evidence for nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia. However, the association with lymphoma subtypes has been less thoroughly investigated. We explored this link in an Italian multicentre case-control study.

methodsA total of 867 incident lymphoma cases, histologically confirmed using the WHO classification, and 774 controls participated in the study. Occupational experts classified the probability, frequency, and intensity of exposure to formaldehyde for each study subject based on detailed questionnaire data and literature information. We used unconditional regression analysis to model the risk of lymphoma and its main subgroups and subtypes associated with different formaldehyde exposure metrics, adjusting for age, gender, education, and study centre.

resultsEver exposure to formaldehyde was not associated with risk of all lymphomas combined, the non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and B-cell lymphoma (BCL) subgroups, or the most prevalent BCL subtypes, but multiple myeloma (MM) (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.19–3.31). MM risk also showed consistent upward trends with all the exposure metrics (p for trend ranging 0.005–0.034). Hodgkin’s lymphoma risk was also elevated in the top categories of intensity, duration, and cumulative exposure, but no significant increasing trends were observed.

conclusionsOur findings suggest an increased risk of multiple myeloma associated with occupational exposure to formaldehyde. A stronger link was observed for daily exposure lasting 20 years or more. The risk of Hodgkin’s lymphoma was also elevated at high exposure intensities.

Indexed as

FormaldehydeLymphomaMultiple MyelomaOccupational DiseasesOccupational ExposureAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedFormaldehydeCase-control studyFormaldehydeLymphomaMultiple myelomaOccupational cancerOccupational exposure

Identifiers

PMID41146278
PMCPMC12557863

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.