title: Cancer incidence among Minnesota taconite mining industry workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate cancer incidence among Minnesota taconite mining workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated cancer incidence between 1988 and 2010 in a cohort of 40,720 Minnesota taconite mining workers used between 1937 and 1983. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by comparing numbers of incident cancers with frequencies in the Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System. SIRs for lung cancer by histologic subtypes were also estimated. We adjusted for out-of-state migration and conducted a probabilistic bias analysis for smoking-related cancers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 5700 cancers were identified, including 51 mesotheliomas and 973 lung cancers. The SIRs for lung cancer and mesothelioma were 1.3 (95% CI = 1.2-1.4) and 2.4 (95% CI = 1.8-3.2), respectively. Stomach, laryngeal, and bladder cancers were also elevated. However, adjusting for potential confounding by smoking attenuated the estimates for lung (SIR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0-1.3), laryngeal (SIR = 1.2, 95% CI = 0.8-1.6), oral (SIR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.7-1.2), and bladder cancers (SIR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.8-1.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taconite workers may have an increased risk for certain cancers. Lifestyle and work-related factors may play a role in elevated morbidity. The extent to which mining-related exposures contribute to disease burden is being investigated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Electronic address: gasto020@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: MacLehose
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Heather H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Gurumurthy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mandel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D017678:Sex Distribution; D017640:Silicates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D017640:Silicates; C026703:taconite; D007501:Iron
keywords: Epidemiology; Neoplasms; Occupational exposure; Taconite