Lung cancer mortality in aluminum reduction plant workers

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5791390

Gibbs, G W; Horowitz, I

The lung cancer mortality of 5406 men (cohort 1) employed at one aluminum smelter on January 1, 1950, and of 485 men employed at a second plant (cohort 2) on January 1, 1951, is reported. For each man, the total number of years of exposure to tars, number of years since first exposure to tars and an index of exposure to tars expressed in tar-years were calculated. More than 99% of the men in the first cohort and just less than 98% of the men in the second cohort were traced. The results showed that the morality from lung cancer of those who had been exposed to tars was similar to that of workers never exposed to tars. The mortality from lung cancer of men in cohort 1 was greater than that expected at Quebec provincial rates, but this was probably due to slightly increased lung cancer mortality in the communities serving the industries. Although the total number of cases in cohort 2 was small it could not be explained on community experience. There was a definite dose-response relationship between lung cancer mortality and tar-years and years of exposure. The standardized mortality ratio for persons exposed for more than 21 years to the higher levels of tars was 2.3 times that of persons not exposed to tars. Although smoking may still be a factor, the evidence suggests that the increased risk of lung cancer is related to employment in definite tar-exposed occupations.

• Research Organization: McGill Univ., Montreal, Quebec
• OSTI ID: 5791390
• Journal Information: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States) Vol. 21:5; ISSN JJOMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
570000 -- Health & Safety
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ALUMINIUM
BODY
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
ETIOLOGY
INDUSTRY
LUNGS
METAL INDUSTRY
METALS
MORTALITY
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SMELTING
TAR