Enhancement of lung cancer by cigarette smoking in uranium and other miners
There are substantial animal and epidemiological data related to cigarette smoking and lung cancer among miners exposed to elevated levels of radon daughters that appears to be in disagreement. An hypothesis is advanced that explains most of this disagreement as being derived from temporal differences of cancer expression. The hypothesis is that a given radiation exposure induced a finite number of lung cancers, which have shorter latent periods due to the cancer promotion activity of smoke among cigarette smokers. According to this hypothesis, the life-shortening effect is greater among smoking miners than nonsmoking miners, and the ultimate number of lung cancers among smoking miners will be only a little larger than among nonsmokers. The greater number will derive from the additive effect of radiation and smoking, plus the greater force of competing causes of death among elderly nonsmokers.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
- OSTI ID:
- 5147336
- Journal Information:
- Carcinog. Compr. Surv.; (United States), Journal Name: Carcinog. Compr. Surv.; (United States)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LUNGS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
NEOPLASMS
TOBACCO SMOKES
CARCINOGENESIS
MICE
MINING
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
RATS
SYNERGISM
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
AEROSOLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
MAMMALS
METALS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SMOKES
SOLS
VERTEBRATES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
560151 - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man