Lung Cancer Among Industrial Sand Workers Exposed to Crystalline Silica

Details

• Personal Author:
  Sanderson, Wayne T. ; Steenland, Kyle
• Description:
  In 1997, the International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that crystalline silica was a human carcinogen but noted inconsistencies in the epidemiology. There are few exposure-response analyses. The authors examined lung cancer mortality among 4,626 industrial sand workers, estimating exposure via a job-exposure matrix based on 4,269 industrial hygiene samples collected in 1974-1995. The average length of employment was 9 years, and estimated average exposure was 0.05 mg/m(3) (the National institute of Occupational Safety and Health Recommended Exposure Limit), Results confirmed excess mortality from silicosis/pneumoconioses (standardized mortality ratio = 18.2, 95% confidence interval: 10.6, 29.1; 17 deaths). The lung cancer standardized mortality ratio was 1.60 (95% confidence interval: 1.31, 1.93; 109 deaths). Limited data suggested that smoking might account for 10-20% of the lung cancer excess. Exposure-response analyses by quartile of cumulative exposure (15-year lag) yielded standardized rate ratios of 1.00, 0,78, 1,51, and 1,57 Ip for trend = 0.07). Nested case-control analyses after exclusion of short-term workers, who had high overall morality, yielded odds ratios by quartile of cumulative exposure (15-year lag) of 1.00, 1.35, 1.63, and 2.00 (p for trend = 0.08) and odds ratios by quartile of average exposure of 1.00, 0.92, 1,44, and 2.26 (p = 0.005). These data lend support to the labeling by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of silica as a human carcinogen. There are approximately 2 million US workers exposed to silica; 100,000 are exposed to more than 0.1 mg/m(3). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Dust Lung Lung Diseases Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Neoplasms Occupational Health Quartz Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Silicon Dioxide Silicosis

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Lung Neoplasms Industrial-factory-workers Lung-cancer Pneumoconiosis Pulmonary-system-disorders Quartz-dust Respiratory-system-disorders Sand-and-gravel-mines Silica-dusts Silicon Dioxide
• ISSN:
  0002-9262
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  153
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20021881
• Citation:
  Am J Epidemiol 2001 Apr; 153(7):695-703
• Contact Point Address:
  K. Steenland, NIOSH, R13,4676 Columbia Pkwy, Cincinnati, OH 45226 USA
• Email:
  kns1@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Epidemiology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:24e9ab013c3ac398ab4823e0c955efe82c2102de042b515f53c9f66574eee2a898ffd493076aa940fb425a64aa923cd1b39c4154db03e39a3bc6342227365536
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/198968/cdc_198968_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 6.45 MB ]