[Histonet] Formaldehyde in H2S's 12th RoC

[Bernice Frederick]

Well we still use Hematoxylin powder, Xylene ,Oil Red O, Beibrich scarlet
and Congo red and we haven't been stopped yet. 
I'd think embalmer would be well-fixed and preserved ,rather than have a
high mortality rate. Have the proven it's from formaldehyde? Whom knows what
the get from a dead body?
Bernice

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Robert
Richmond
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 9:11 AM
To: Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Formaldehyde in H2S's 12th RoC

The US Department of Health and Human Services (sometimes affectionately
known as H2S) has released the 12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC). The report
lists formaldehyde as a definite human carcinogen. The regulatory
repercussions of this aren't immediately clear, but I suspect pathologists
will see increasing pressure to eliminate formaldehyde fixation. As the
snake oil peddlers come out of the woodwork, it's going to become
increasingly important to remember that there is no substitute for
formaldehyde that will not greatly change the way pathologists and
histologists work.

A not entirely satisfactory New York Times account is at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/11/health/11cancer.html?hp

The report itself can be obtained in pieces in PDF form at:
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/?objectid=72016262-BDB7-CEBA-FA60E922B18C2540

The 12th RoC reports repeat the mantra "studies show" at Joyce Brothers
length, but do not really make clear what the facts are. They do offer these
references about mortality among embalmers and pathologists. Does anyone on
the list have access to these papers?

Hauptmann M, Lubin JH, Stewart PA, Hayes RB, Blair A. 2003. Mortality from
lymphohematopoietic malignancies among workers in formaldehyde industries. J
Natl Cancer Inst 95(21): 1615-1623.
Hauptmann M, Lubin JH, Stewart PA, Hayes RB, Blair A. 2004. Mortality from
solid cancers among workers in formaldehyde industries. Am J Epidemiol
159(12): 1117-1130.
Hauptmann M, Stewart PA, Lubin JH, Beane Freeman LE, Hornung RW, Herrick RF,
et al. 2009. Mortality from lymphohematopoietic malignancies and brain
cancer among embalmers exposed to formaldehyde.
J Natl Cancer Inst 101(24): 1696-1708.

Posting this both to PATHO-L and to Histonet.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN

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