Mortality patterns among men exposed to methyl methacrylate.

A cohort of 2,671 men, 1561 of whom were exposed to methyl methacrylate, was observed from 1951 to 1983 for mortality. This cohort consisted of men from two plants. This study utilizes detailed exposure estimates and smoking status to evaluate mortality patterns. We find no statistically significant excess all-cause or cause-specific mortality. Analysis of dose of methyl methacrylate with several cancer sites showed no trend. Men exposed to high levels of methyl methacrylate had cancer rates similar to those for men not exposed in the workplace, as well as for other men in the US population. An earlier epidemiology study reported a significant excess of colorectal cancer among persons exposed to several substances including methyl methacrylate. Our study results and results from animal studies do not support the hypothesis that methyl methacrylate is a human carcinogen.