US EPA

2949423 

Technical Report 

American Uranium Miners And Lung Cancer 

Archer, VE; Brown, MC 

1900 

NIOSH/00135534 

Bureau of Occupational Safety and Health 

The incidence of lung cancer in uranium (7440611) miners was assessed. A study was conducted of 3,414 uranium miners over a 7 year period to determine death rate and deaths attributable to respiratory cancers. Cumulative radiation exposures of the miners were estimated in terms of working months and the concentrations of radon daughters. An intensive follow up program was instituted that maintained contact with 95 percent of the miners; for statistical purposes, the remainder were considered to be alive. Among the 3,414 miners, there were 398 deaths, compared with 251 deaths expected on the bases of rates for the male white population of the area. Of the 398 deaths, 62 were attributed to respiratory cancer, compared with an expected incidence of 10 deaths. Most deaths from respiratory cancer occurred 10 or more years after the first mining exposure. There was no excess for the first 5 years after the start of mining. There were significant excesses of respiratory cancers in six exposure classifications; for the first three categories, up to 840 working months, there was an excess of 300 to 400 percent. From 840 to 1,799 working months, the excess of respiratory cancer deaths was markedly progressive with increasing exposure. Miners who smoked had an excess of lung cancer 10 times greater than miners who did not smoke.