General Information Q&As

What is an Odds Ratio?

An Odds Ratio for the Spring House case control study is the ratio of the odds of dying from brain cancer among workers with a specific chemical exposure compared to the odds of dying of brain cancer among workers not exposed to the specific chemical.  For example, if 2 of 100 workers exposed to Chemical X develop disease and 1 of 100 workers not exposed to Chemical X develop disease, the Odds Ratio is 0.02 divided by 0.01, or 2.  Reference: Last, J.M. A dictionary of epidemiology: second edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.

Are there links between exposure to formaldehyde and Bis-CME
and brain cancer?

There is no conclusive cause or association between brain tumors and a specific chemical or agent. Anatomists and embalmers who use formaldehyde have been studied, but no evidence pinpoints the use of formaldehyde as a cause of brain cancer. Bis-CME and CME have been associated with increased lung cancer, but not with brain cancer. No association was found between potential exposure to bis-CME or CME and brain cancer in the Rohm and Haas Spring House study.  Reference: Preston-Martin S, Munir R, Chakrabarti I. Nervous System. In: Schottenfeld, D, Fraumeni, Jr. J. F., ed. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. Oxford: University Press, 2006:1173-95.

What is the effect of monomers on brain cancer?

The company knows of no specific link with the chemicals associated with monomer production, such as methyl methacrylate or other acrylates, and brain cancer, either in studies the Company has done or any in the published scientific literature. Importantly, the company is not aware of any excess brain cancers in our monomer plants or evidence of an association of monomer chemicals research and brain cancer at Spring House. Reference: Preston-Martin S, Munir R, Chakrabarti I. Nervous System. In: Schottenfeld, D, Fraumeni, Jr. J. F., ed. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. Oxford: University Press, 2006:1173-95.

Before becoming a research center, what occupied the land?

In 1960, the Company started consolidating its research activities with the purchase of a 140-acre farm in Spring House, PA, and the construction of three buildings. The first building opened in 1963, and additional buildings were added during the following two decades.