title: A mortality study of a cohort of slate quarry workers in the German Democratic Republic.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Registry, Central Institute for Cancer Research, German Democratic Republic, Berlin.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Mehnert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Staneczek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möhner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Konetzke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahlendorf
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Winkelmann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simonato
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D012822:Silicon Dioxide