Cancer of the larynx and other occupational hazards of mustard gas workers

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · Clin. Otolaryngol.; ()

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2273.1981.tb01527.x· OSTI ID:5101610

Manning, K P; Skegg, D C; Stell, P M; Doll, R

An attempt was made to tract 511 men and women who manufactured mustard gas during the 1939-1945 war. Despite limitations in the identifying data available, 428 (84%) were traced to the end of 1974. The numbers of deaths from all neoplasms combined (45) and from all other causes (136) were slightly greater than those expected from national death rates, but not significantly so. Two deaths were attributed to carcinoma of the larynx and one to carcinoma of the trachea, compared with an expected number of 0.40 (P less than 0.02). Carcinoma of the larynx was also mentioned on the death certificate of another man. Seven subjects are known to have developed cancer of the larynx, compared with 0.75 expected (P less than 0.001). Excess mortality was also observed from cancer of the lung, pneumonia and accidents, but the excesses were small and difficult to interpret.

• OSTI ID: 5101610
• Journal Information: Clin. Otolaryngol.; (), Vol. 6:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
NITROGEN MUSTARD
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARCINOGENESIS
CARCINOMAS
DEATH
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HEALTH HAZARDS
LARYNX
PATHOLOGY
PERSONNEL
TRACHEA
ALKYLATING AGENTS
AMINES
DISEASES
HAZARDS
INDUSTRY
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SAFETY
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
552000 - Public Health