title: Lung cancer mortality among uranium gaseous diffusion plant workers: a cohort study 1952-2004.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  9%-15% of all lung cancers are attributable to occupational exposures. Reports are disparate regarding elevated lung cancer mortality risk among workers employed at uranium gaseous diffusion plants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether external radiation exposure is associated with lung cancer mortality risk among uranium gaseous diffusion workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 6820 nuclear industry workers employed from 1952 to 2003 at the Paducah uranium gaseous diffusion plant (PGDP) was assembled. A job-specific exposure matrix (JEM) was used to determine likely toxic metal exposure categories. In addition, radiation film badge dosimeters were used to monitor cumulative external ionizing radiation exposure. International Classification for Disease (ICD) codes 9 and 10 were used to identify 147 lung cancer deaths. Logistic and proportional hazards regression were used to estimate lung cancer mortality risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lung cancer mortality risk was elevated among workers who experienced external radiation >3.5 mrem and employment duration >12 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Employees of uranium gaseous diffusion plants carry a higher risk of lung cancer mortality; the mortality is associated with increased radiation exposure and duration of employment.
authors.affiliation: Douglas County Health Department, Omaha, NE, USA. lfiggs2@gmail.com
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Figgs
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000401:mortality*; D009678:Nuclear Energy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D014501:Uranium / Q000506:poisoning*
chemical_list: D014501:Uranium