Dose-response analysis and quantitative assessment of lung-cancer risk and occupational cadmium exposure

Technical Report · Tue Sep 04 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:5174793

Stayner, L; Smith, R; Thun, M; Schnorr, T; Lemen, R

A quantitative assessment was performed of the risk of lung cancer from exposure to cadmium (7440439) in a population of workers at a facility that processed cadmium metals and compounds. The population consisted of all workers who worked in a production area for at least 6 months from 1940 through 1969; the vital status of the workers was updated through 1984. A total of 606 white male workers, contributing 16,898 person years and 162 deaths were analyzed. A statistically significant dose response was evident in nearly all of the Poisson regression models evaluated. A nearly significant excess in mortality from lung cancer was noted for the entire cohort. Mortality from lung cancer was significantly elevated among non Hispanic workers, workers in the highest cadmium exposure group, and among workers with 20 or more years since first exposure. Based on these analyses, the lifetime excess lung cancer risk at the current OSHA standard for cadmium fumes of 100 micrograms per cubic meter was estimated to be approximately 50 to 111 lung cancer deaths per 1000 workers exposed to cadmium for 45 years. The authors conclude that efforts should be made to further reduce the risk by lowering occupational exposures to cadmium to the lowest level feasible.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States). Div. of Standards Development and Technology Transfer
• OSTI ID: 5174793
• Report Number(s): PB-92-184282/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BODY
CADMIUM
CARCINOGENESIS
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELEMENTS
LUNGS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
METALS
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PERSONNEL
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RISK ASSESSMENT
STATISTICAL MODELS
STATISTICS