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To present the first case of vinyl chloride related hepatic angiosarcomain Australia. A 51 year old male caucasian former polyvinyl chlorideautoclave cleaner in an Australian chemical plant developed hepaticangiosarcoma, presenting 15 years after his last exposure to vinylchloride monomer. He developed encephalopathy and died in oliguric renalfailure 21 days after admission to hospital. Hepatic angiosarcoma maydevelop in other workers similarly exposed. [Riordan SM et al; Med J Aust155 (2): 125-8 (1991)]**PEER REVIEWED**The cohort consisted of 10,173 men who had worked for at least one year injobs involving exposure to vinyl chloride prior to 1 January 1973. Thesemen were employed at 37 plants in the U.S., belonging to 17 companies.Observation of the mortality experience of the cohort was updated from 31December 1972 to 31 December 1982 (the study now covering 1942-1982). Atotal of 1,536 cohort members were identified as having died. The observedmortality, by cause, was compared with the expected based on U.S.mortality rates, standardized for age, race, and calendar time. Analysesby length of exposure, latency, age at first exposure, calendar year offirst exposure, and type of products were performed. The study confirmedthat the vinyl chloride workers experience a significant mortalityexcesses in angiosarcoma (15 deaths), cancer of the liver and biliarytract (SMR = 641), and cancer of the brain and other CNS (SMR = 180). Inaddition, the study also found a significant mortality excess inemphysema/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (SMR = 179). On the otherhand, the study did not find any excess in either respiratory cancer orlymphatic and hematopoietic cancer. This study also found an increase inbiliary tract cancers, independent from liver cancer. [Wong O et al; Am JInd Med 20 (3): 317-34 (1991)]**PEER REVIEWED**Increased levels of chromosomal abnormalities, compared to controlpopulations, were found in workers exposed to high levels of vinylchloride but not in workers exposed to less than 13 mg/cu m (5 ppm). [WHO;Environmental Health Criteria 215: Vinyl Chloride p. 223 (1999)]**PEERREVIEWED**An investigation into reproductive function in 2736 workers exposed tovinyl chloride in 13 PVC factories and 3442 workers in other factories notexposed to vinyl chloride showed no significant differences inreproductive outcome. However, in the female exposed group, the incidenceof pregnancy complication was significantly higher than that of thecontrol group, suggesting that vinyl chloride may effect the pregnancyprocess in female workers. [WHO; Environmental Health Criteria 215: VinylChloride p. 199 (1999)]**PEER REVIEWED**In patients with chronic occupational exposure, neurological disturbancesinclude sensory-motor polyneuropathy, trigeminal sensory neuropathy,slight pyramidal signs and cerebellar and extrapyramidal motor disorders.Psychiatric disturbances included neurasthenic or depressive syndromes.Sleeplessness and loss of sexual functions were frequently encountered.pathological EEG alterations were found in a high proportion of patients.[WHO; Environmental Health Criteria 215: Vinyl Chloride p. 196(1999)]**PEER REVIEWED**DNA damage & the formation of stable carcinogen-DNA adducts areconsidered critical events in the initiation of the carcinogenic process.This study was carried out to assess whether exposure of plastics industry