Semiconductor Work, Leukemia, and Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: With the development of the semiconductor industry over the past 60 years, various occupational diseases have been reported to coincide with rapid industrial growth. Among these occupational diseases, the association between semiconductor work and cancers, including leukemia, remains controversial. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the associations between semiconductor work, leukemia, and cancer risk. Methods: The core research databases, including PubMed, were screened for studies published until 31 July 2022. All eligible studies assessed cancer risk among workers in the semiconductor industry. Results: Nine studies were selected after a literature review. The employment period of semiconductor workers in each study was between 1965 and 2009. Semiconductor work was not significantly associated with the risk of leukemia (Relative Risk [RR], 1.02; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.74–1.41) or cancer (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.93–1.07). Conclusion: In this meta-analysis, semiconductor work was not significantly associated with leukemia or cancer risk. Internal comparisons, such as non-fab workers, quality of the study, employment period, and healthy worker effect, should be considered for interpretation. Furthermore, a prospective cohort study based on overall semiconductor workers in the industry could be useful to assess occupational disease risk as a mandatory component of health assessment.