Cancer mortality among a group of fluorspar miners exposed to radon progeny

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Am. J. Epidemiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6485509

Morrison, H I; Semenciw, R M; Mao, Y; Wigle, D T

A cohort study of the mortality experience (1950-1984) of 1,772 Newfoundland underground fluorspar miners occupationally exposed to high levels of radon daughters (mean dose = 382.8 working levels months) has been conducted. Observed numbers of cancers of the lung, salivary gland, and buccal cavity and pharynx were significantly elevated among these miners. A highly significant relation was noted between radon daughter exposure and risk of dying of lung cancer; the small numbers of salivary gland (n = 2) and buccal cavity and pharynx (n = 6) cancers precluded meaningful analysis of dose response. Attributable and relative risk coefficients for lung cancer were estimated as 6.3 deaths per working level month per million person-years and 0.9% per working level month, respectively. Relative risk coefficients were highest for those first exposed before age 20 years. Cigarette smokers had relative and attributable risk coefficients comparable to those of nonsmokers. Relative risks fell sharply with age, whereas attributable risks were lowest in the youngest and oldest age groups. The results suggest that efforts to raise existing occupational exposure standards may be inappropriate.

• Research Organization: Department of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
• OSTI ID: 6485509
• Journal Information: Am. J. Epidemiol.; (United States), Vol. 128:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
NEOPLASMS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADON
CARCINOGENESIS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
LUNGS
MINERS
MINING
MORTALITY
NEWFOUNDLAND
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORAL CAVITY
PHARYNX
RISK ASSESSMENT
SALIVARY GLANDS
BODY
CANADA
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
GLANDS
ISLANDS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PERSONNEL
RARE GASES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
560161* - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Man