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© 1996 Oxford University Press
research-article |
Cancer Mortality among Silicotics in China's Metallurgical Industry


*Institute of Industrial Health, Anshan Iron and Steel Corporation #29, 219 Park Drive, Anshan, Liaoning 114001, P R China.
**Dalian Institute of Occupational Medicine Dalian, Liaoning, P R China.
Institute of Industrial Health, Maanshan Iron and Steel Corporation P R China.
Shanghai Institute of Metallurgical Occupational Medicine P R china.
Wang Z (Institute of Industrial Health, Anshan Iron and Steel Corporation, #29, 219 Park Drive, Anshan, Liaoning, 114001, P R China), Dong D, bang X, Qu G, Wu J and Xu X. Cancer mortality among silicotics in China's metallurgical industry.International Journal of Epidemiology 1996; 25: 913917.
BACKGROUND: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of lung cancer among silicotics in China's metallurgical industries. The study cohort consisted of 4372 male silicotics diagnosed and alive before 1 January 1980. The follow-up period was 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989.
RESULTS: Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) of all deaths, all cancers, chronic bronchopneumonia, pneumonia and pulmonary heart disease, and pulmonary tuberculosis showed statistically significant excesses. The SMR for lung cancer for the total cohort was 237 (P < 0.01). When the total study cohort was divided into various categories by occupation (Including iron ore mining, ore-sintering, refractory brick manufacturing, Iron and steel smelting, and steel casting), significant excess lung cancer risk was observed among silicotics in all categories (SMR > 200, P < 0.01) except for casting (SMR = 157, P > 0.05). Excess lung cancer was not related to years since diagnosis of silicosis or years of exposure to silica. There was more than twofold excess lung cancer risk among both smoking (SMR = 257, P < 0.01) and non-smoking silicotics (SMR = 209, P < 0.01). Silicosis Increased the risk of lung cancer.
Keywords silicosis, lung cancer, standardized mortality ratios (SMR), smoking
Revised 1 January 1996