Joint Analysis of Three European Nested Case-control Studies of Lung Cancer among Radon Exposed Miners

Abstract

Analyses of lung cancer risk were carried out using restrictions to nested case-control data on uranium miners in the Czech Republic, France, and Germany. With the data restricted to cumulative exposures below 300 working-level-months (WLM) and adjustment for smoking status, the excess relative risk (ERR) per WLM was 0.0174 (95% CI: 0.009-0.035), compared to the estimate of 0.008 (95% CI: 0.004-0.014) using the unrestricted data. Analysis of both the restricted and unrestricted data showed that time since exposure windows had a major effect; the ERR/WLM was six times higher for more recent exposures (5-24 y) than for more distant exposures (25 y or more). Based on a linear model fitted to data on exposures <300 WLM, the ERR WLM of lung cancer at 30 y after exposure was estimated to be 0.021 (95% CI: 0.011-0.040), and the risks decreased by 47% per decade increase in time since exposure. The results from analyzing the joint effects of radon and smoking were consistent with a sub-multiplicative interaction; the ERR WLM was greater for non-smokers compared with current or ex-smokers, although there was no statistically significant variation in the ERR WLM by smoking status. The patterns of risk with radon exposure from the combined European nested case-control miner analysis were generally consistent with those based on the BEIR VI Exposure-Age-Concentration model. Based on conversions from WLM to time weighted averaged radon concentration (expressed per 100 Bq m), the results from this analysis of miner data were in agreement with those from the joint analysis of the European residential radon studies.

Lung cancer risk at low radon exposure rates in German uranium miners

“…Such conditions do not reflect current occupational exposure scenarios of around two working level months (WLM) per year. Only a few miner studies provide risk estimates for long-term exposure to very low levels of radon ( NRC, 1999 ; Tomasek et al , 2008a ; Hunter et al , 2013 ; Zablotska et al , 2013 ; Kreuzer et al , 2014 ; Rage et al , 2014 ). Such risks, however, are highly relevant for current occupational radiation protection and calculation of lifetime risks for conversions from WLM into effective dose ( Tomasek et al , 2008b ).…”

Comparing the Metal Concentration in the Nails of Healthy and Cancer Patients Living in the Malwa Region of Punjab, India with a Random European Group – A Follow up Study

“…Uranium mining and lung cancer have been linked [106][107][108][109][110][111]. Samet and co-workers (1984) demonstrated this association among predominantly non-smoking Navajo men in a population study between 1969 and 1982, but the high rate of breast cancer among Navajo women living on reservation where mining is common has not been officially linked to U.…”

Radón y sus efectos en la salud en trabajadores de minas de uranio

“…Similarly, potential confounding factors such as tobacco consumption or joint exposure to radon and silica, quartz, arsenic and other types of dust were taken into account. Some studies 1,4 reveal that the risk for lung cancer is higher in non-smokers than in smokers, although without statistical significance. This would mean that the different morphology and lung capacity of non-smokers, which is larger than that of smokers, would lead to higher amounts of radon derivatives in this location, and subsequently a higher risk of cancer; in contrast with several studies 3,20,21,24 which reveal that tobacco does not act as a confounding factor.…”