A mortality study of a cohort of slate quarry workers in the German Democratic Republic.
Following reports from other countries indicating an excess risk of lung cancer among silicotics, a historical cohort of workers employed for at least one year at a company in charge of slate extraction and processing during the period 1953-1985 in the German Democratic Republic has been constructed and followed up for mortality from 1970 to 1985. The results of the study show a mortality excess for infectious and respiratory diseases. The overall lung cancer mortality is not in excess but shows a tendency to increase with time since first exposure. A mortality excess from lung cancer is concentrated among workers receiving compensation for silicosis, suggesting a possible carcinogenic risk for individuals suffering from this pathological condition.
Mehnert
W H
WH
National Cancer Registry, Central Institute for Cancer Research, German Democratic Republic, Berlin.
Staneczek
W
W
Möhner
M
M
Konetzke
G
G
Müller
W
W
Ahlendorf
W
W
Beck
B
B
Winkelmann
R
R
Simonato
L
L
D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005859:Germany, East; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D012829:Silicosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*
D004391:Dust; D012822:Silicon Dioxide