Lung cancer mortality among pottery workers in the United States.
A proportionate mortality study suggested that members of the International Brotherhood of Potters and Allied Workers in the United States had an elevated frequency of deaths from non-malignant respiratory disease (PMR = 1.54) and lung cancer (PMR = 1.21). The lung cancer excess occurred exclusively among pottery workers employed in the manufacture of plumbing fixtures (PMR = 1.80). A subsequent cohort study examined mortality among 2055 white men employed in three ceramic plumbing fixture factories. There was a significant excess of non-malignant respiratory disease (SMR = 1.73). Lung cancer mortality was also higher than expected (SMR = 1.43) and was highest among workers whose jobs involved simultaneous exposure to silica and non-fibrous talc (SMR = 2.54). Lung cancer mortality risk increased with increasing number of years of exposure to non-fibrous talc and showed no pattern by number of years of exposure to silica. Among men exposed to talc, lung cancer risk increased with years since first non-fibrous talc exposure and decreased with age at first exposure. The data suggested an association between exposure to non-fibrous talc and excess lung cancer risk; however, the role of silica as a co-factor or promoting agent could not be ruled out.
Thomas
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Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Environmental Epidemiology, Washington, DC.
D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D002516:Ceramics; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013627:Talc; D014481:United States
D013627:Talc; D012822:Silicon Dioxide