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An Epidemiological Study of Lung Cancer in Asbestos Miners
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DANIIL C. BRAUN, M.D.. and T. DAVID TRUAN, M.A., Pittsburgh
UP
If asbestos is ir. Icarcinogen, the tu
Ever since the pronounced increase in the incidence of lung cancer among males became apparent, there have been attempts to associate it with one or another of the various dements in the environment of man. The approach used by some workers lias been to suspect one or several sub stances and then set aimut in an intensive search for lung cancer among jtersons who
| some property w
whose work is also frequently referred te | something more th
as establishing a connection between asl>.-> tosis and cancer of the lung, reported in 1951 that cancer of the lung was present
These authors
j until some more |direct carcinogens-
in 14.1 c/c of asbestosis cases examined by him. In 1941, Nordtnann and Sorgo*' claimed to Live produced lung cancer in mice which they exposed to asbestos dim.
^composition prudu J asbestos niight !*_Icinogen" which on
,-elopment of a
have had any exposure to t!u#>e materials.
Since 1951. additional cases of cancer of t brought about by-
In this connection, Smith 82 writes: "The the lung. coexisting with asliestosis h,in- ;;hc asbestos, such
tendency of authors reporting; the coinci been reported, and, according to Hueper5' . Thus the literate;
dental occurrence of primary lung cancer about 100 such cases had been reported up jport the thesis th:
with silicosis or with any other theoretical to 1955. As a result, an association between Iviray related to th dialogic conditions, has been to emphasize the two diseases appears to have been ac * cancer, is by no i
the percentage relationship in extremely cepted by many authors.jand several writers Igether, it is perha
small series of cases, with control cases were using the term "asbestosis cancer" of * enlightening. A cr
which are not in any way comparable."
the lung. \Ycrber,M) in 1952, stated cate j the majority of th
Tt would seem inevitable that asbestos should come, under scrutiny in this manner, because prolonged exposure to this material is known to cause a specific type of pneu moconiosis, and because persons who show this form of pneumoconiosis often come to
gorically that in 7c/r to 17cr of cases of asbestosis. after a latent period of about ]/. to 20 years, carcinoma Incomes estab lished in the lung.
On the other hand, not till authors ac cepted this alleged association without
, not tpidemiologica t inc. uts neee.ssar'v
epidemiological tec
! and most of the au ;o having done so | that succeeding am
autopsy and provide a ready source of reservation. Saiqie so in 1939 reported that jsioiis and-genera!!.
material for study. Tt was in this way that he had discovered no cases of lung cancer 1 the works which th
reports of the simultaneous occurrence of among (>20 cases of asbestosis which he (example, have we
lung cancer and asbestosis began to accu had examined; and in 1942, Holleb and population of as!>
mulate after the report of a case by Lynch Angrist 48 expressed the opinion that the several authors w!
and Smith 68 in 1935. Within the next 10 number of cases of asbestosis with lung served incidence of
years, about 15 additional cases were re ported, and in 1954 Merewether76 reviewed all deaths from asbestosis recorded in Eng land since March. 1924. Lung cancer oc curred in 16r,c of these cases. Gloyne.41
Accepted for publication Jan. 29, 1058. This study was made possible thrnuyli a grant from the Quebec Asliestos Mining Association.
cancer was too small for statistical evalua of persons toko al tion. In 1947, Wegelius88 reported 126 ! that this incidence : radiological!}* diagnosed cases of asbestosis ers, generally. V. among 476 workers in Finland, and found unable to find an no cases of lung cancer in this group. I calculated the inc Goldblatt and Goldblatt in their section of among a populatio Merewether's latest book,11 state: "But at asbestosis, and not
no stage in all these impressive researches , autopsy. With the
Medical Director (Dr. lirnim) assd Statistical Consultant (Mr. Trunu), industrial Hygiene Foundation.
6.14
iwas any clue obtained which might have ' i by Loll,28 i. ne of offered any support to the possibility that ; data on e, k-sure asbestos could act as a carcinogen. There j and even"!lull's ;
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, no reliable criterion by which imc can : oticipate carcinogenicity and, as is well J nown, relatively minute changes in the
nurture of a chemical carcinogen are su(ti
nt to diminish or eliminate carcinogenic ction.
If asbestos is indeed to he regarded as a yjarcitiogcn, the need is felt to deinoiislrate
ue property which can i>c regarded as
ferred to -Something more than inertness." en asbes- These authors advance the theory that,
>orted in ktil some more experimental evidence ot
5 present direct carcinogenesis by asbestos or a de
nined bv composition product of it can he obtained.
Sorge 'Ssbestos might he considered as a "cw-car-
aneer in fjinogen" which only induces a further de
'tos dti.s:. velopment of a preneoplastic condition
ancer of |rought about by something independent of
fsis have e asbestos, such as .an endogenous factor.
fueper
Thus the literature, while tending t sup-
ortcd up |ort the thesis that asbestosis is in some
' between .jay related to the development of lung
been ac- icer, is by no means unanimous. Alto-
d writers her, it is perhaps more confusing than
cer" of ^lightening. A careful review shows that
fed cate- *he majority of the reports are clinical and
cases of lot epidemiological. They lack many ele
f about ments necessary for the application of es estab- idemiological techniques to their content,
,d most of the authors do not make claim
j
thors ac- 4 having done so. What has happened is
without That succeeding authors have drawn conclu
sions and generalized beyond the scope of
rted that
SS cancer vhich 1^
she works which they quote. Nowhere, for jxample, have we found references to a population of asbestos workers, although
<Ueb and
that the Jeveral authors who have quoted the ob
ith lung served incidence of lung cancer in autopsies
evalua
if persons who also hail ashestosis imply Ihat this incidence applies to asbestos work
ted 12fi ers, generally. We have likewise been
sbestosis
*d foumj inable to find any study which actually
i group, Calculated the incidence of lung cancer
ijnong a population of persons who had
action of
Isbestosis, and not just those who came to
"But at
iutopsv. With the exception of a 5viper
-searches '"jy Doll,28 none of those reviewed gave any
?ht have lata on exposure and dust concentrations.
*hty th.it Wl even Doll's paper merely mentions
* There
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"scheduled" areas, by which is meant, "those areas where processes are carried on which were scheduled under the Asbestos Industry Regulations of 1931 as being dusty."
There is, furthermore, a complete lack of definition of terms as used in the pub lished literature. For example, the term "ashestosis." as used, may refer to changes observable only by microscopic examination of the lung tissue, or it may mean a radio logical!v detectable condition.
Most of the published reports obviously included women among their cases, but some of them do not give the number or proportion of women involved in the study.
There is also a lack of uniformity as to what type of exposure most studies have dealt with. Of 99 cases enumerated by I lueper in 1955, only 10 appear to have originated in the United States, and 7 in Canada. Some of the earlier reports ap parently included asbestos miners, but it can be assumed, since 82 of the 99 cases had originated in England, and- since no asbestos mining operations are carried on in that country, that most of the reported cases have involved workers in the textile or fabricating industries.
Such factors as smoking habits, family history^ of cancer, length of time in the industry, and age of the individual case arealso notably absent in the majority of these reports.
With this understanding of the limita tions of the existing literature with respect to epidemiological generalization, it may be of value to consider in somewhat more de tail some representative earlier publications, a few of which were referred to briefly above.
One of the most detailed studies and one which deserves the most serious considera tion is that reported by Doll23 in 1955. This study reviews causes of death among asbestos workers based on coroners' rec ords. It also attempts to estimate the risk by studying records of men who worked for at least 20 years in exposed situations.
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UuiJ* QUt ri* ill oilier torn is of | 'neuinoconio- death cert
citie industrial hazard of certain asbestos Ms vva.s
, and in 106 eases which have beer.
workers and that, after 20 years of expo proved not to have atn type <f I'tieumo- ,5 enhance
sure, the risk is 10 limes as great as for coniosis it w;t s 8.3(7, Gloyne considered -hat the ir
the general j>opiilatioti.
"llu` mot lalitv of the as icstos workers" to dcs of the
This article is important for several rea sons, in addition to the definite conclusions at which it arrives. I`or example, it liegitts
be "disturbing " First i f all. it is obvious that the :q.er does not < 'cal w th the "mortalily of asbestos workc rs," ; nd secondlv.
The dang rate toum the gener:
by stating that "in view of the infrequency it must be borne in mind that all of Dr. l,ige. occup of asbestosis, this large number of cases (iloyne's cases were submitted to him for j.ueh as sr.
(61 cases of lung cancer') suggests--but study because the findings were unusi'al I Lvitch.""
does not prove- -that lung cancer is an for uncomplicated pneumoconiosis. * It can i^e first c: occupational hazard of asbestos workers." reasonably be assumed that cases, including !oarcinoma
Neither this article nor any previous one those of asbestosis. in which the finding, jjutopsies <
which we have examined presents any fig were not considered unusual were not sent (faeturing j ures to prove that tisbcstosis is an infre to Dr. Gloyne for examination. As a mat |*deinonstra
quent occurrence. Kstimatcs of the number ter of fact, in the same paragraph in which 'tings." T;
of persons i>tenlially exposed to asbestos he expresses concern over the incidence identical w
dust in the I'nilcd States alone vary from rate in asbestosis. Dr. Gloyne himself Ihimself. p<-
10,000 to 35,000, and the incidence of as points out that the rate for lung cancer incidence <
bestosis of any degree might t>e. higher than based on necropsies at the London Chest Lniall for
Doll imagines.
This study, like so many others, involves autopsy records. The number of jktsous involved in the statistical analysis is only 113, representing only 1,042,25 man-years of life. It is also true that in selecting men who had been employed for at least 20 years, the study automatically excluded those who died from other causes after shorter employment.
Another reason why this publication is of importance is a statement which it con tains to the effect that "the strongest evi dence that it (lung cancer) may he a hazard (in asbestos workers) has lx-en produced by Merewether and by Gloyne."
In 1951 Gloyne41 presented a review of 1205 autopsies on persons who had worked in various dusty occupations. This number included 132 asbestos workers, of whom 121 showed "pneumoconiosis"--pre sumably asbestosis. Primary cancer of the lung occurred 17 times in tin's group, an incidence rate of 14.1(4 for lung cancer among asbestosis cases coming to autopsy.
Hospital was 21.3(4 while the figures of jdculation.'
the Kegistnir-Gener.il showed only 2.4(4 -have used ;
He thus recognized that autopsies on a cer- I ;or an ass*-
tain selected group of cases were not rep- '.A-jth ashes:
resentative of the general population, h glotz u3 tV
would seem. then, that notwithstanding the ases of In
value of Dr. Gloyne's work, its importance dimes as !;
as an index of the prevalence of lung can- Ijsbeslosis.
cer in asliestolics lias been misinterpreted i Behrens by some who have quoted him. All that it l^gted that
really shows is the fact that in a group of tjiterature. -
121 cases, selected for special study prj_ 5' the- lung--c
marily because they seemed abnormal bv 'This is an
preliminary examination. 17. or 14.1(4, had incidence <
lung cancer.
tchich were
Merewether 75 in 1947, in the report of cause some
the Chief Inspector of Factories, reviewed |possibly hi
all cases reported between 1924 and 1946 leases were in which asbestosis was the cause of death i plies to the
or a coexisting condition. This work was Appears to
later extended to include till such cases re iiutopsies
ported up to December, 1654, by which time j.vhicli 6 cast
there were 344 deaths, including 205 males formation t:
and 139 females. Among them were 55 not justify
cases (16(7) of cancer of the lung, 41 in mortality rat
There were in his scries 796 cases with sili males and 14 in females. It is quite possible Perhaps i
cosis, and 6.9(y of these also showed pri that a large number of asbestotics who did <ivelv oil tl
mary cancer of the hiug. The incidence of not die of their aslwstosis, or in whose [n 1955 he
636 fill. 17, June, /9-v Jraiot- -Tman
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TRIAL HEALTH %-V(7 CAXCIiR IX ASHIiSTOS MIXERS
--of pncumoconio- sjeatli certificate it was not mentioned, may 169 cases which save been missed. The import of this 16% type of pneumo- |s enhanced by the simultaneous statement loyne considered iiiat the incidence of lung cancer in autopstos workers" tr- *><"$ of the general population is only 1%. all, it is obvious jfhe danger of attempting to com{>are a
d with the "mor- *ite found in 344 cases with the rate for and secondly, the general population without res(x_*ct to
that all of. Dr. Ige, occupation, and many other variables,
itted to him for itch as smoking habits, is obvious, s were unusual | Lynch,70 who with Smith es had reported
coniosis. It can -he first case in 1935, reported 4 cases of . cases, including ^rcinoina of the lung in a series of 49 itch the findings Autopsies on workers in an asbestos manu al were not sent yacturing plant who were shown to have .tion. As a mat tdemonstrable deposits of asbestos in the agraph in which Lngs." This, of course, is not necessarily r the incidence ,-jentical with the disease asbestosis. Lynch, Gloyne himself linself, points out that, although this is an
for lung cancer Lcidence of 8.2%, "laoth figures are too ` London Chest !,rnall for very serious statistical types of * the figures of |dculation." Nevertheless, later writers ved only ,2.4%. ^ve used this paper to strengthen the case topstes on a cer- 4or an association of carcinoma of the lung s were not rep- yith asbestosis. It is also of interest that
population. Tr *;iotz83 found only the same number of withstanding the loses of lung cancer in a series nearly 10
its.importance vines as large, i. e., 4 in 478 cases of tee of lung can- |>bestosis.
l misinterpreted jgehrens, as cited by Merewether,78 estihim. All that it \ated that, of 309 cases of asbestosis in the t in a group of Aernture, 44 showed associated cancer of ecial study pri- |,e lung--giving an incidence of 14.2%.
4 abnormal by |hjs js an illustration of generalizing an j , or 14.1%, had lcidence obtained in a group of cases
j |hich were undoubtedly reported only beI n the report of iiuse some of them showed lung cancer, to I tories, reviewed possibly hundreds of asbestotics whose
j 1924 and 1946 hses were never reported. The same ap I cause of death -'dies to the conclusion of Telekv,83 who
This work was spears to have reviewed reports of 39 ! such cases re- '.jtopsies on persons with asbestosis among I l, by which time |hich 6 cases of lung cancer occurred. In i .ding 205 males jormation from sources such as these does
them were 55 lot justify generalizations with regard to j the lung, 41 in |ortality rates.
| is quite possible j Perhaps no one has written so extenstotics who did Jvely on the subject as has llueper.5-59
jn, or in whose 1955 he reviewed the cases** reported
I of. IT, June, i95,y Ljwn--Truan
prior to that dale and enumerated a total of 99. Pleven of these were those dis cussed by Doll28 and may have been cases covered by other authors. Light were dis covered by Kemiaway and Kennaway in an analysis of death certificates, and, unless Merewothcr's study was incomplete, these cases should have been included in his re port. Of the remaining 80, it is quite pos sible that the 31 contributed by Merewether and the 17 by Gloyne contain some duplica tion with each other or with those of other English authors.
Principles of the Epidemiological Method
Dorn 30 has pointed out that much of what is now thought to be pertinent concerning the comparative frequency of lung cancer in different population groups has been de veloped from the analysis of clinical ma terial, particularly surgical and autopsy records, supplemented to some extent by the reported impressions-of various clini cians based upon their personal observa tions. More recently, however, attention has turned to the systematic investiga tion of this problem by the same methods that have proved so successful previously in the study of communicable diseases, that is to say, by epidemiological methods.
In order to apply this method of investi gation to the problem under discussion, we were of the opinion that a study should be planned so as to provide (1) a well-defined population group; (2) available data for all members of this population, including the healthy as well as the ill; (3) a sample which is truly representative of the popula tion; (4) reliable and valid observations relating to the problem of the study.
. A serious defect, common to most of the studies which have been reported, is that little or no information concerning the healthy people in the group seems to have be^n available to the author. In order to draw a generalization regarding all asl>est(>s ' workers, it is necessary for a study to in clude living persons as well as the dead.
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Limiting the investig.itinn to cases coming to autopsy, as has been frequently done in earlier studies, still further restricts its use in generalization. The problem with which we are concerned is whether asbestos miners experience more lung cancer than does the general population. The answer necessitates the collection of reliable infor mation on asbestos miners as a group, ns well as on the general population.
It seems advisable to discuss the differ ences between the epidemiological approach and that used in the studies which have been reported to date. A very important consideration is the fact that lung cancer, in spite of its increasing numbers, is still a disease of low incidence: that is. in a given [M>pulation not many persons will contract this particular disease. This fact requires that large samples or groups must be stud ied to provide meaningful results.
Recognizing the difficulty of obtaining such large samples, most earlier writers deviated from the epidemiological method and sought to circumvent the requirement of observing well persons by fl) compar ing the relative frequency of cancer in vari ous -sites: (2) comparing the relative frequency of cancer in a group of hospital ized patients: (3) comparing the relative frequency of cancer in a group of cases coming to autopsy.
Attempting to compare two population groups, looking only at the relative fre quency of cancer in various Duly sites, may result in finding a higher jiercentage (relative frequency) in one of the groups, when, in fact, the mortality rate of cancer of a particular organ is exactly the same in both groups. This is very clearly dem onstrated in the excellent article by Dorn.3" The mortality rate from a particular cause is the true measure of comparison.
It is apparent that selected groups such as hospitalized patients or autopsy cases may not be in any way representative of a larger group, and that iti dealing with such samples, the observer may easily find more eases of a given disease than would
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lie found in another group of the same size, ' discussions with
but representative of the general population. of the asbestos
It is true that investigation of cases from with clinicians, p,
such a sample can furnish information i of City and Fro
valuable for research, but the use of this .iiul ol the t an.,
information in drawing generalizations is other interested [
necessarily restricted. It is the obligation niorbidity data, a:
of both the investigator and of those who were available fr
read his report to make proper comparisons hospitals in Mon:
and to draw only those conclusions which the 13 cancer detc
are valid and justified. A good statistical ince. However. !
study of cases of cancer of the lung occur . taiity in lung ca:
ring in a group of autopsies can lead to a to depend upon
proper inference concerning the frequence These we found of lung cancer among cases coming to vital statistics de|
autopsy, but only to such cases. For in of I lealthJn,,Quci
formation from such a study to be pro liminary survey, it
jected to some larger group, it is necessary Dive and detailo
that the autopsies represent a good sample fathered with reT
of that larger group. To assume that such employed in the
is; the case in any particular series is dan . irtd the mortality
gerous and likely to be false.
population.
There is some danger that the figures
Following this
reported by some authors may be miscon initial effort was <
strued as applying to asbestos workers or of data relating !
even asbestos miners, when, in fact, tbe been processed th:
authors in question do not make this gen ford Mines since i
eralization. nor can the generalization be dmilar informath
made for the reasons stated. L lose study of :it Asbestos, Quc.
the reports reveals that the percentages records included t*
cited relate only to the group of autopsies sonal medical his
covered by the particular investigation.
number of years t
The present study, in contrast to the of weighted expo-
earlier works, has been planned to utilize the individual's he
the epidemiological method. A well-defined j)t his death.
group of asbestos miners has been estab From this inter
lished in such a way that it constitutes a to formulate a "coh
good sample of the whole population of defined, should be
asbestos miners in Quebec. Data for all whole group, and c
members of this group have been collected definite period of ti;
and analyzed. Those concerning lung can experience indicate-
cer have received most careful considera tion. Details of the methods employed will he set forth later, but tbe type of approach is considered to permit of fair comparisons and valid generalizations.
of asbestosis in less posine must lie so iuglv, the cohort w: every miner who h. five or more years,
Collection and Analysis of Data
employment rolls in
` A preliminary survey of potential sources' sionexposed persona of information in February, 1956, involved of employment, we
l ol IT. /line. 1t/t.f mint--Triton
health U`.Y<; CASTER IK ASBESTOS MIXERS
line size, |iscussions with the physicians in charge
pulation. -jf the asbestos. companies' programs and
>es from Vith clinicians, pathologists, re[>resentatives
ormation y City and Provincial health departments
of this jid of the Canadian Cancer Society, and
itions is her interested persons, it was found that
bligation ose who
turbidity data, although somewhat limited, j-ere available from such sources as the
parisons
-uspitals in Montreal and Quebec City, and iie 13 cancer detection centers in the Prov-
s which Ve. However, because of the high mor
tatistical g occur-
ality in lung cancer, it seemed advisable
d to a equency ning to
\j> depend upon data relating to deaths, ifhese we found to be obtainable at the jital statistics department of the Ministry
For
in-
.if Health in Quebec City. From the pre liminary survey, it was apparent that exten
be prc>-
sive and detailed information could be
icessary ithered with respect to both the persons
sample tnployed in the asl>estos mining industry
at is
such dan-
jiid the mortality Population.
figures
for
the
general
Following this exploratory survey, the aitial effort was directed to the collection If data relating to all workers who had ieen processed through the clinic at Thet*ord Mines since its inception in 1947, and jintilnr information regarding ..11 workers
Asbestos, Que. Data from the clinical Vords included the age, family and per sonal medical histories, smoking habits,
.lumber of years of exposure, an estimate If weighted exposure, and the course of
individual's health status or the cause ,f his death.
, From this information it was possible formulate a "cohort" which could be well
'Refined, should be representative of the
iliole group, and could be followed for a lefinite period of time. All of the available Experience indicates that the development |f asbestosis in less than five years of ex posure must be somewhat rare. Accord ingly, the cohort was defined as including
kery miner who had a total exposure of |ve or more years, and who was on the
Employment rolls in 1950. Office and other ionexposed personnel, regardless of length >urccs jf employment, were not included. This solved JniH/i--Truan ' Ms
cohort was then followed by means of the annual physical examination records through a six-year interval, 1950 through 1955. All data regarding this group were then tabulated in order to determine the characteristics of the cohort. For. those who survived the entire period, reference was made to the physical examination results and x-ray findings at the end of the period. Those who had died were tabulated sepa rately, and the cause of death was corroborated by examination of the death certificates. A further search was made concerning those in the original cohort who remained unaccounted for when (he living and the known dead had been tabulated. The\' represent men who had left employ ment through retirement or resignation.
F.veutually, all but a small number of these
were accounted for as either living or dead,
and in the latter event, the cause of death
was substantiated in a similar manner, and
the results added to the original list of
deaths.
__
Death certificates for the Province of Quebec for the years 1952 to 1955, inclu sive, were reviewed in the department of vital statistics of the Provincial Health Ministry, together with statistical sum maries of the causes of deaths in the Prov ince by counties. All cases in which death
was certified as having been due to pri mary cancer of the lung were examined for such information as place of residence, occupation, date of death, hospital in which death occurred, and whether or not an autopsy was performed. Cases in which lung cancer was given as a cause of death,
but in which it was not specified as to whether the cancer originated in the lung, were also reviewed in an effort to include
all instances of primary carcinoma of the
lung in the study.
The statistics for the Province of Quebec
relate to population, total deaths from all
causes, total deaths from cancer of all types,
and deaths'from lung cancer. These were collected and tabulated by counties and by
sex for the years 1950 to 1955, inclusive.
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From them, dentil rates for the general population of Quebec ami of individual counties were calculated for specific years
and analyzed by cause. Practically nil employees of om* company
are covered by a group policy of life insur ance which, fortunately, nearly all of them continue to carry when they retire. A very
In addition to this analysis of deaths oc curring in the cohort and during the years under observation, every known death from cancer of the lung, as well as every case diagnosed but still living, has been tabulated and analyzed. They will l>e discussed separ ately from those included in the population and time-interval under study.
ftABI-K 1.--.Y
Age JM4--
! ii-54...
few are not covered by this policy, and
A comparison of lung cancer mortality Less than 0.1'
those who leave the industry for one reason or another except retirement usually are no longer covered, but this is likewise a small number. As an additional check upon the information obtained from the clinical records on this group, the records of the life insurance company were examined for
in the asbestos-producing counties has been
made with that in counties which are far areas. For .
removed from the asbestos mines aiul in ! assumption :
which, presumably, no asbestos miners live. | ship betwee:
IFinally, in order to broaden the compari
son of death rates ill different population groups, the rates have been collected for
that Catego: Category II. goryj. _
all death claims paid under the policy, and Canada generally, and for the United States,
particular notice was taken of the claims according to the most recent published and t
in which the proof of death was based on unpublished material. .
j Taiii.k 3.--A'
\cancer of the lung.
Deaths from lung cancer among asbestos miners were thus determined from the clinical records in the medical service of the industry and checked bv means of the death certificates and insurance company records. The deaths were then verified individually by reviewing them with the physicians in charge of the medical services. In this man ner, there was established a list of cases in which primary cancer of the lung is con sidered to have been proved as the cause of death. A few eases in which lung cancer is strongly suspected hut not proved as the cause of death were considered separately. Mortality rates have l>cen calculated using both the "proved" and the total of '`proved"
Results and Interpretation
The cuhort which was constructed accord
ing to the criteria described in the preceding
section has been considered individually and
compared with -the general population.
Description of the cohort will be presented here as a preface to the results of the study;
OriuiiMi r.ilu.ti
!,!*.( l>clnn*l
Kinal CuUurt Living iu 1955 (working ami retired) iVttrf by 1955
Cancer of lung OurMion;ilIt* cancer of lung .
C tther causes Unknown causes
Smoker-. N'oii'itiolirfs I'ltktiouit
rtt0Ql
jjj
S,95| $#77|
jj7 9 j
^
4,{7j *i,26
2a
Exposure Cswcfcory
I................
II.....................
UInllk.n..o..w...n......................
Trials..
Aver.i^nxpsure
!.oss than 0..''
The four;' similarly tab 4. This was tion was avai regarded as besides the c influence the As used in smoker refer
and "suspected" eases during the vears un Tables 1. 2, 3, and 4 present age, number der observation. Comparisons were then of years of employment, weighted average
T
made between the death rates from the same exposure, and smoking habits of the cohort.
cause among specific segments of unexposed
A comparison of the exposure to asbestos
persons. All lung cancer deaths. lx>th dust is presented in Table 3. All members suspected and prove*!, were carefullv ana of the cohort were placed in one of three V.-ur
lyzed to determine possible relationship or correlations between the development of lung cancer and any factor known from the
categories, representing increasing degrees of exjwsure based on a weighted average of the years spent at various levels of
1950. 1951. 1952. 1953.
HIM.
clinical records, such as family history of dustiness. The degree of dustiness for each
Totals....
cancer, personal history of heavy smoking, job category was determined after consulta *`J*rov*r* mfc p*r '
coexistence of ashestosis. or exposure to tion with persons familiar with the environ
asbestos.
' ment and conditions in the various work
Total" rate i**r l '
640
/ '"I. IT. June.
Braun--Truan
IAL HEALTH h,UNG CANCER IN ASBESTOS MINERS
of deaths oc ring the years vn death from as every case been tabulated scussed separthe population
|fA*t-K 1.--Number
Ace S-M........
4-54.......... \VM.......... .
,4+....... .
Unknown., Totals.,
kverage Age...,
and Percentage Distribution by Age
Number
31,,9316012115345 5,9- 64H-1
Per Cent
1--601150690 .
icer mortality ' Less than 0.5%.
nties has been vhich are far ireas. For the puqxises of calculation, the
mines and in jissuniption has been made that the relation
s miners live. ship between these categories is linear, and
1 the compari- Jthat Category II is twice as dusty, and
nt
population
Category 'W i.
III
three
times
as dusty as
Cate-
collected for
United States, pqblished anu Table 3.--Number and. Percentage Distribution
by Exposure Category
Table 2.--Number and Percentage Distribution by Length of Employment
Employment
Number
3245105000U---43210+9990........................................................................................................................................................................... ............ AverageTyoetaarlss.o.t.e..m..p.lo..y.m..e.n.t.............
251...,*3996.7195052.H01H5352.558
Per Cent 134--011:0006i0*
ually smoking more than live cigarettes per day. Persons who stnoke pipes or cigars exclusively were not considered to be smok ers for the purpose of this study.
Table 5 presents the year-by-year ex perience of the cohort and indicates the
Table 4.--Number and_ Percentage Distribution by Smoking Habits
;Ixpoeure
-tation
Category
-n I......... .
ructed accord-
II .......... III .........
the preceding |Unknown..
dividually and
Totals......... \venge Exposure..
1 population, i-----------------be presented I * ^than 01%-
Number
2,031 2,190 1,772
9 --5.958 2.0
Per Cent
34 36 30
-- 100
Smoking Habits
Smokers......... ............................ Nonsmokers......... .................... ........... Unknown................................. ...........
Totals.......................... ...........
Number
1,265 20
-- ... _J,958
I.ess than 0.5%.
Ter Cent
79 21
-- 100
< of the study: The fourth variable, smoking habits, was
<i09i ^similarly tabulated and is shown in Table 5 914. This was included because the informa-
s.?7i dtion was available and because smoking was Jregnnled as one of the variables which,
j|besides the environment, cpuld conceivably **6 ^influence the development of lung cancer.
;As used in this presentation, the term
1,265
20
smoker refers to a cigarette smoker, habit-
number of deaths each year from specified causes. In general, a case was considered to be "proved" as one of primary cancer of the lung when the records showed that the diagnosis had been supjiorted by an autopsy or surgical resection of the lung with microscopic examination of the re moved tissue, la one case so considered, however, diagnosis was continued by bron-
t age, number jhted average | of the cohort,
Table 5.--Ycar-by-Ycar Experience of Cohort and Death Rates per 100,000 Man-Years of Risk
re to asbestos
All members j one of three! Year
No. AUve At Beginning
o| Year
ising degrees
1950............................ ... ! 1961............................ ...
fhted
average
.] 1952............................ 1953............................
....
us
levels
of3 1954............................ ... 1955............................
5.958 5,942 5,922
5.848
Proved Primary Ca. of Lung
l 2 0 2 l 3
Cause of Death
Suspected Primary
Ca. of Lun?
Ollier Causes
2 12 0 17 0 37
34
0 33 0 36
Unknown
l 1 0 0 4 0
ness for each
Totals.........
ft9
31
169
fter consulta-
-i'rovml" mlo |**r 100,000 nmn-yearsof risk* 35.271.5
1 the environ-.
_12__
various work *Total" rule per ICO,000 man-years of risk* 35,271.5 `
Man-Years of Risk
5,950 5,932 5,903.5 5,866.5 5,829 5,790.5
35,271.5
17. June, ]<s!>h Braun--Truan
641
`1
srr
A. M. A. ARCHIVES OE IXPUSTRIAL UE.AI.TII 1 I.CSC CASTER IX
Case No.
1 2 3 4 5 6 -? H 9
A(
GO 65 05 59 4H 61 56 37 66
Tabu; 6.--"Proved" Cases of Primary Cancer of the Lung
Smoker
Yes Yes Yes YoS Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Exposure
26 yr. In Cat. 11 34 yr. in Oat. 1 37 yr. In Cat. 1 32 yr. In Cut. I 2*2 yr. In Cat. U 33 yr. In Cat. Ill 30 yr. in Cat. II 10 yr. in Cat. 1 2H yr. In Cal. Ill
Died
10-12-51 5- 3-55 7-31-55 K-'Jl) 5t|
-51 4-30-53 11-22 53 X- 5-M 5- -5ft
Autopay
Yes
Yes No Yes
Yes Yes Yea
Yes UnHH'li.
'
Ashestoais
Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
choscopy with visualization and biopsy. In another, although there was no autopsy, the diagnosis of primary cancer of the lung seems to have been beyond question.
The term "suspected" primary cancer of the lung was applied to those cases in which the diagnosis remains in doubt but some of the evidence points to cancer of the lung. There were three such cases.
The term "man-years of risk" has been used to mean the numlier of men at risk for the year under observation. A person who lived throughout the year was counted as a full man-year of risk, but one who died during the year was counted as one-half a man-year.
Deaths occurring in the cohort, and in which lung cancer is considered to have been proved as a cause, are shown in Table 6. In Table 7 are shown three deaths which have been considered as '`suspected" lung cancer cases. '
An indication of the importance of these "suspected" cases in interpreting the results of the calculations is desirable before fur ther discussion of the mortality rates which arc derived in later tables, bur example, it hapi>ens that the rate found for the proved cases is close to the "expected" rate based on the general population figures for the Province, as will be shown later, and on this basis we should find eight deaths from, lung cancer among the cohort. Actually, nine cases were observed. If, however, the 3 additional "suspected" cases were in cluded, increasing this figure to 12, the total
would be very close to the 95level of significance. However, having found just 12 cases, we are not above this level, and therefore the hypothesis that asbestos miners do not have a higher mortality from |u,,g cancer than does the general population can not be rejected. Nevertheless, the occur rence of 12 cases in this sample would increase the rate to a {mint which approaches the significant level. Ilecause of the tre mendous importance of the questionable cases in this respect, some detail regarding them will be given here.
In one of these cases, the suspicion of cancer of the lung is based upon the x-rav interpretation, and, although no autopsy was performed, the death certificate indicates that death was due to lung cancer. It is well known that the x-ray appearance of fibrosis, especially if a localized density or a superimposed iulx.-rcvrl<>us lesion is pres ent, can simulate that of a tumor, and by itself, does not justify the inclusion of this case as one of "proved" cancer of the lung. A second case was certified as having died by reason of hvdrothorax, possibly dm., to lung cancer, but again there was no
surgery and no postmortem examination. In the third case, although it was subjected to autopsy, two pathologists disagreed as to whether lung cancer was present. The death was certified as having been due to chronic myocarditis with nephritis and pulmonary congestion, and possiMy cancer of the lung On the basis of these facts, it seems unwar ranted to include these three cases among
Tabi.e 7.--'`Suspected" Primary Cancer of the Lung
Case No.
1 2 3
AW
49 4f 65
Smoker
Yes Yes Yes
Ksposure 1
32 yr. In Oat. Ill ' 33 vr. In Out. III . 42 yr. In Cut. II
Died
10-25-50 7- -53 9- 30 55
Autopsy
No Yes No
.
Asbcstosls
No Yes No
"proved" instances other hand, they car. : regarded completely. \ that mortality rate? both ways.
Table S gives the r The rates by loin shown m Table 9. L of employment, the tion which seems p ' were growing older years of ex[>osure : ; cases reported for a ing the six years, or of ex|H)Stire. When are added, une.case
Tabi.e 8.--Luna C ' Gr
Nnmher of Persons a::.'! Ni
Ago Group
20-14.............................. 45-54.............................. 55-4.................................. 65+................................ Unknown.....................
Totals.............
No.. Verso
3.90 U2
SI 31
5.v5
Annual T-uni:MaCns-eYreearr-
Ago group
JO-44......... 45-54......... 55-64........ . 65+ ......... Unknown.
Over-all..........................
| period. This would per 100,000, again i portance of these proved, cases to : because, if there w number of men with asbestos is a carcinog concluded that these strated considerable r< logical phenomenon w previously and is con. of an intrinsic or end cer. The only other that the susceptible 'group had died earlier 18, which appears Iat
Cot. IT, June, 795,? Praun--Truan
! HALT!I
CAXCl:-R /.V ASBESTOS MIXHRS
Yproved" instances of lung cancer, On the
-= .iyther hand, they cannot, in fairness, be dis lOStOSU regarded completely. It is for this reason
Vos No
^hat mortality rates have been calculated
No No
both ways.
Vi'oos* Table 8 gives the rates by age groups.
Ves
4o
The rates by length of employment are
Jo
&hown tn Table 9. During the first 40 years
V employment, the rate rises, an observa-
?'e jtion which seems plausible since the men
^US* *ere ?row`n? older. However, after 40
- and Years of exposure there are no "proved"
miners jases reported for a total of 240 men dur-
Ur> ing the six years, or aliout 1440 man-years *n can- 3 f exjtosure. When the "susj)ected" cases
CCUr* `4re added, one case does show up in this
would :i
oaches e tre-
Table 8.--Lung Cancer Deaths by Age Groups
onable Number of Persons and Number of Lung Cancer Deaths
trding i ApOfoui*
No. of Persons
No. of IVuths
0,1 of.
X-ray y was "
.......
3.901 1.124
615
315 3
licates
5,958
It is
ce of ^ or
Annual Lung Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 Man-Years of Kxjo-*ure
jjj, yn,,,,,
Proved
I)res- ,4jH4...... id bv ;**}---
f this t the aving
C&koown....... .
Over*oll..
44
IS 44 81 81
2102 2605
25 34
V due ^period. This would produce a rate of 69 s tic* per 100,000, again demonstrating the imition. jportance of these questionable, but un
ited jproved, cases to the final conclusion,
as to Jbecause, if there were no cases in this leath - jaumber of men with long exposure, and if
ronic 'Ijsbestos is a carcinogenic agent, it must be nary included that these 240 men have demon
lung. ijtrated considerable resistance. This is a bio
war- ^logical phenomenon which has been observed
nong '^previously and is consistent with the theory
-4)f an intrinsic or endogenous factor in can-
== leer. The only other explanation would be SlS ijthat the susceptible members of this age
3group bad died earlier of lung cancer. Table 18, which appears later in this section, iti-
Taiu.k --Lung Cancer I tenths by Length of Employment
NiiiiiIht of lVr.MiON ;nul Nuinlwr <>f Lung Cancer Death?
lA`mrih of Employ tucm
No. of Deaths No. of ----------------- *---------------
Persons
Proved
Total
5-0 ....... .. .
*.
10*19..............................
20-211.......................
30-311..............................
40-40_______
50+..................
1.7U5
2.3W 22 Aa 1*5
55
o
1 :i s <>
0
n
I 3 7 1
0
Totals............
5,058
0
12
Annual hung Cancer Death Rates j>er 100,000 Man-Years of Exposure
I.eturth of Employment
Proved
Total
5-9......................................... ............. 10-19............................ ...........
20-29......................................... 30-39......................................... ...............
40-49......................................... ............. 50+........................................... .............
0
138 0 0
0 7
54 193 90
0
34
dicates that the members of the cohort did not die from lung cancer at a younger age than the general population.
The rates by weighted exposure are shown in Table 10, and it will be noted that they present strong evidence-against asbestos being a carcinogenic agent, for. if exposure to asbestos is in any way con nected to lung cancer, we would expect that the longer and heavier the exposure, the higher the rate that would be found. The only possible error in this interpretation could occur if the weighted exposures were inversely related to years of employment,
Tabi.e 10.--Lung Cancer Deaths by Exposure Category
Number of Persons and Number of Lung Cancer Deaths
Exposure Category
No. of Deaths
No. of --------------------- ----------------
Persons
Proved
Total
1................................ It................................ 111................................ Unknown.....................
2.031 2.150 1.772
5
4 3 2 0
4 4 4 o
Totals.............
5,958
9
12
Annual Lung Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 Man-Years of Exposure
Exposure Category
,
Proved
Torn
I........................................... .............. It...................... V................. lit........................................... Unknown............................... .............
Ovcr-uU.................. .............
33
0 2.5
33 31 37 0
34
195# JjrrtMM--Truan
64.5
a. m. a. Akanrtis or industrial health
LUNG CANCER IN AS:
Table 11.--Number of Persons in Uarious Weighted Exposure Categories by Length of Employment
Weighted Exposure Categories
Employment
I
it hi
5-9 10-19 20-29 :w-:w 40-49
J0+
707 598 490 603 8*3 861 314 303 243 347 218 137
76 67 41 24 21 10
Totals
3,031
Average years
ol exposure 17
2,100 17Ji
1,772 16.6
known
0 1 2 l 1 0
5
29.0
Total
1,795 2.306
922 603 185
55
5,953
17.5
in which case the heaviest weighted ex posure (Category III) would show the shortest length of employment. Table II, which lists the number of persons in various exposure categories by length of employ ment indicates that this error has not oc curred. In fact, the average numl>er of years of employment for each exposure category is almost identical.
Table 12, which develops the rates for smokers and nonsmokers, is most striking. It shows that not a single case of lung cancer developed among the 1265 non smokers and that all cases of lung cancer, both "proved" and "suspected," occurred in smokers.
Table 12 was so striking that it was felt that further verification was necessary. It was possible that some abnormal distribu tion may have occurred, e. g., the non
Table 13.--Number and Percentage Distribution of Smokers and Nonsmokers by 'Age Groups
Age Group
JHi........................... .. 45-54.............................. 55-64........................... .. 65+............................ ... Unknown............... ..
Totals......... .. Averugo age............ ..
Number
Smoker Xonsmoker
3,200 896 411 164 2 --
4.673 39J
669 224 202 150
0 --
1,265 44.2
Unknown
12 4 2 1 1 -- 20 40.7
Percentugo Distribution
Age Oroup
Smoker Nonsmoker
20-44.............................. 45-54.............................. 55-64.............................. 95+................................ Unknown...................
Total,.............
68.5 19.2 8.8 3.5
i --
100%
54.5 17.7 16.0
11.8
0.0 --
100%
Unknown
60.0 20.0 10.0
5.0 5.0
100%
lwss than 0.05%.
Table 12.--Lung Cancer Death for Smokers ami Nonsmokers
Table 15.--Number and l of Smokers and
` Exposure C
Number of Persons ami Number of Lung Cancer fVjui* by Smoking Habits
.. Nonsmokers....... . .. Unknown................. ..
Totuls......... ..
Persons
4,673 1,2*1$
29
5.958
No. of Death*
Proved
9 i\ 0
---
9
Total
o o 12
Exposure
Calory
* III..............................
i
d
Uinnk.n.o..w..n...................
J
i Totals....... A Tenure exposure
category........--
NumN
Sinokvr?
l1,.*5953l 1.4254
4,673 2.0
Annual Lung Cancer Death Rates per 100.000 Man-Years of Exposure by Smoking Habits
No. of Deaths
`
-
Proved
Total '
Smokers................................... ............. Nonsnmkors.--,,................. ............. Unknown....................... .............
Over-all................... .............
33 0 0
23
43 o it
Percentage Dis:r;
j Exposure A Category
Smokers
...
1 n................ ...
B 111.......................... 4| Unknown.. ......
33.2 36.2
9 Touts........ ... -- 100%
smokers may have included a larger percentage of young men. Consequently, ad ditional Tables, 13, 14. and 15 were con structed to show the distribution of smokers and nonsmokers by age, length of employ ment, and degree of exposure. Although there are slight differences, they do not account for the fact that all observed cases of lung cancer were in smokers. In respect to age (Table 13) the combined average age of the smokers was 4.9 years less than that of the nonsmokers. Table 14 shows that as far as length of employment is con-
Tabi.f. 14.--Number and Percentage Distribution of Smokers and Nonsmokers by Length of Employment
Leticth of Employment
5-9.............................. . 10-19............................. . 20-29............................. . 30-39............................. . 40-49............................. . 50+............................... .
Totals........... . Averaeo length of
employment.-----. .
Number
Smokers Nonsmoki
1,408 1,967
722 433 110 33 --
4.OT
377 426 199 166
75 22 -
1,205
17J> i9a
10 4 2
04
20
10.0
Percentage Distribution
Length of Employment
Smoker Nonsmoker
5-9...
10-19.. 20-29.. 30-39..
40-49.. 50+...
.. 30.1
.. 15.4 ... 9.3
29.8 33.7 15.7 13.1
5.9 1.8
Totals......... .
!(!%
ir%
Unknowi
50.0 20.0 10.0 20.0 0.0 00
w%
cerned, the smokers hac years less on the aver smokers. With longer ex age, one would expect group to show rtyigher were due to astystos. T the average exposure cr. the same for the two s this variable seems to t> in accounting tor this di
The result of this ad that none of these factor the effect of Table 12.
Comparison of the t with that of the Pravin. minion of Canada, and th in order to make a c exporieuce among asbeste of the general population Quebec, statistics were l earlier, in the office of
Tabi.f.
province Cohort
Total
Proved province (excluding asbestos workers)
Number of Persons
1,193.000 * 5.923 f
1.192.000
In Oio rmvinre figures. It has twn Approximate miil|M>int of ihe e:u.:
Bimtmphlcl. tNumber alive in cohort at be jinn:
f>44 Dot. 17, June, 795.? -f Braun--Tman
4
jtt'A'G CAXCER IX ASBESTOS MIXERS
{Table 15.--Xumber anti Percent,o/e Pistributnm of Smokers and Xoitsmokers by Exposure Caley, >ry
eer Deaths
JTEMjpeomsuorrye
Total
1002
IViikiiuwft.. ..
Totals. .ireniKo e|osure
i;| x-aiegory...............
Number
Smokers Xunstnokcrs Unknown
1,533 1,691 1.425
4
4,673
2.0
44T542 1*
1,265 1.9
4
u a 3
Demography in the Provincial Ministry of 1 lealtli. The data on total deaths, deaths from all forms of cancer, and deaths from cancer of the lung were obtained by sex and by county tor the years 1950 through 1955. In addition, all death certificates which specified primary cancer of llie lung, and all those which indicated lung cancer but did not specify the origin, were exam ined for the years 1952 through 1955.
Man-Years
Percentage Distribution
saths
Total
a 0 0
M
Exposure Citegory
'
s 'f|
ai.......................................... ..
m............................ ..
. Cnknown.................
i Totals__ ... -
Smokers
3H.2 30.5
100%
Xonsmokers
37.5 35.7 26.7
0.1
100%
Unknown
20J> 35J> 43jQ
0J>
100%
denied, the smokers had worked about 2.3 larger
uly, ad- 'pears less on the average than the non-
re con- jiuokers. With longer exjiosure and greater
smokers age, one would ex{>ect the nonsmoking
employ- "jrroup to show a higher rate if lung cancer Ithqugh nere due to asbestos. Table 15 shows that
do not d cases respect average
|he average exposure category was almost -the same for the two groups. Therefore, jthis variable seems to be of no importance 'in accounting for this difference.
ss than 1 The result of this additional analysis is shows filial none of these factors appears to lessen
is eon- ;ihe effect of Table 12.
if Comparison of the Cohort Experience
Iribution yith that of the Province of Quebec. DoIth ^aiinion of Canada, and the United States.--
Table 16 gives a tabulation of the number of deaths from lung cancer in the Province and in the cohort for the years 1950 through 1955, and shows the annual rate per 100,000 in these segments. It will be noted from the table that the mortality rate for the "proved" cases in the cohort is only slightly higher than the rate for the Province. When the "suspected" cases are included in die calculation, the rale for the cohort rises to 33.8 per 1(X),000, which is about 50% higher than the rate for the Province. This, it will be recalled from the previous dis cussion of the effect of the -^suspected" cases on the results, approaches but does not exceed the significant level.
One further interesting observation from Table 16 is the rather marked increase in the total number of cases for the Province between 1950 and 1955. It is assumed that at least part of this increase is due to im proved recognition and reporting of lung cancer during the interval. Eor this reason,
dcaown
4 2
04
20
Jin order to make a comparison of the experience among asbestos miners with lliat ; ;of the general population of the Province of .Quebec, statistics were gathered, as stated 'earlier, in the office of the Division of
the vears 1954 and 1()55 were thought to be more nearly representative of actual condi tions. Even so, it is quite likely that the general imputation is not studied for lung cancer with the same diligence with which
1^ -
Table 16.--Com[ari.sen of C.ohort wi.th Province of Quebec
mb
known
KM)
JOB
B0.JO0
0.0 O__jO_ _
00%
*, 1958
j Number of
Lung Cancer Death*
Anmiul Kufo t*r
Persons
iwn
1051
1052
1933
1954
1935 Total lou.oou
.. prov,,ince
1,198.000
196
220
245
303
303
337 1,024
' Cohort
J Total
j Proved novlnce
5.923 t
3 t
2 2
0 0
3 2
i 1
32
12 9
1,192.000
193
218
245
300
302
354 1.612
({eluding asbestos
,orIters)
22.5
33,8 23.3 22.5
t in {he Province figures. It lias lawn assumed all male liunr rancec ileatlis are for men of 20 +- years. Apprrulmalo midpoint of III* enumerated |>|Hiluttnn lur tuSI, arid tin estimated population tor 1911 (Kupport, l>lv. da la De* ai'irmplila).
. I (Number alive In cohort at beginning of 1912.
i
--Trttan
645
'4
-S
-v y-'-'di
ftJM
^bfcMfi
hf* -
*K
4f!
:^?n
7-3-1 'to#
*0
' $*r 4
:W J!iVl'j ,-*'!
1
A. M. A. A Returns OF INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 1J:XG CAW
Age Group
20 44 45-64 55-64 05+
Totals
Table 17.--f.tin<) Cancer Deaths for the Province of Quehee '
KMimatcd t population
777.t**i jri.oui 137,1 Ml !21.0>
1,237.100
Ntirr.b<r of Deaths
i V4
---- -Total Crrtlfli'd
Total
proved
Total
`rimary
-Proved
17 13 n
9
67 30 43 29
1U0 3H tvu 32
111 33 6K 29
295 120 191
y9
Tola! I*.rrlifutl
Ti.uil
Proved
17 9 Mt 35
117 57 14H 54
342 155
Sirnftml l''rint.-iry
Total
Proved
17 9 56 32 116 57 148 54
337 152
Table
the l
Age Group
2ti 41 . . 45 M............ 55-04............ 65+ ------
Total...........
Rapport, 1954.
Age Group
20-44........ ......................
..
45-54...................................... ................
55-64........................................ ...............
M+......................................... ................
Over-all................................ ...............
Death Rates per 100,000
1954
Total Certified
Specified Primary
Total
2.2 314.2 73.0 91.7
Proved
1.7 17.H 27.7 27.3
Total
1.4 21.3 50.4 56.2
Proved
1.2 14.4 23.4 24.0
23.8
9.7 15.4
8.0
1955
Total Certified
To till
Proved
2.2 29.7 85.4
13SL3
12 17.3 41.6
44.6
27.6 12.5
Specified Primary
Total
Proved
2.2 27.7
84.7 122.3
1.3 15 S 41.6
44.6
27.2 123
* Data from death rcrtlfiits.
f Estimate /or population obtained by applying 1951 percentages for uge groups for mules to tho total imputation for 1954, as gtn
In Rapport, Piv. tie la Pornographic.
.*
this disease is looked for in the miners, and it seems probable that the mortality rates for the Province may be low. This would appear to be substantiated by the fact that the reporting of cases in the cohort showed no such increase over the same period.
. Table 17 was compiled to show the an nual age-sjiecific lung cancer rate of cases in which the death certificate merely read "cancer of the lung," as distinguished from those in which the diagnosis was confirmed by autopsy, surgery, or biopsy. The term "specified primary" refers to those cases in these two categories in which the tumor was specified as having originated in the lung. It will be noted that, of the total cases reported in 1955, a much higher percentage than in 1954 were specified as primary. The table also shows that a higher percentage of the total cases certified in 1955 were proved, again indicating increasing interest in this disease.
A comparison has been made ljetween the age-specific rates shown in Table 17, and those for the cohort, shown in Table 8. An average of the 1954 and 1955 rates for the Province has been used, since the 1955 figure was higher and may have been ex ceptional.
This comparison, summarized in Table 18, shows that the observed number of deaths in our sample is not significantly greater than the expected number of deaths, based on the average of the 1954 and 1935 figures for the Province. It is true that, in the case of the age group of 65 ami over, the five deaths provide a figure which is almost significant at the 95(/`o level. How ever, it should be noted that this number includes one of the suspected but unproved cases previously referred to. - Furthermore, it is rather likely that the rate for the general population is understated in this age group, for the obvious reason thaCthe exact cause of death in the very old is not
Table 18.--Comparison of the Actiuil and Expected Number of Lung Cancer Deaths by Ape Among Asbestos Miners
Age Group
Provlmn Total S|HM-llh*t| lTimarv Rato
per lUO.OUO
20-44 45-54 55-64 s+ Unknown
1.8 21.5 67.6 b9.3
**
OhsrrvH \0<
Expected No. of No. of
<d Deaths
Miners Deaths* Proved Total"
3,901
1,124 615 315 3
0f 2
!
\
2 2
l1
.. 0 o
Tl*4M*cti`l imtnlx'r Is Ikin* l on the average of the 1951 lnrf
1955 nge-sfvWfit* ruti-s for tin* Provimi* of Quoboc.
a
t Actually 0.4.
a matter of as it is in y<
Table IS viously raise of the cohort cer at an age iationr and th ; be offered f in 240 men employment
Before le; Province wi shown that i
I sonably the -
' be observed It should :
t retire and cj that the ohk
i the genera! in Table 2(; rate generall; fore, we cov over 65 to r group betweto the oldes that by usin. tion, we ha\ eral popular than if we people in the A compari and the por whole was : from severa. lips 79 gave
Canada for 1952. The Table 20.
These figv in rates bet
646
Vol. IT, June. I05S Braun--Truan
\ t
'UAL HEALTH 4 LUNG CASTER IX AGBb.STOS MIXERS
a Table \9.--Age Distribution of Adult Mules for Tahle 20.--Amuutl Death Rates per 100,000 for
the Province of Quebec, 1951 * ________
Cancer of the Lung in Canada*
Province
Groups ol Years
Specified Prisnarv
Tool
17 56 116 146
Proved
33 67 54.
337 153
Afe Orotip
. NumU r
-H....................... 45-54....................... 55-64.......................
.......................-
A Total...........
727.135 188,952 128,944 113,467
1,158,496
' Rapport, 1954.
63 16
1110
as it is in younger persons.
in t'olmrl
Till Hi 10 5
--
100
\
interest
Avv Group
rtwirr 3o 30-34 35-39 40-44 *5-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 SO-84 S5+ All Ages
Hrtl 1933
0.2 0.9 2.0 ~ 3.0 5.2 8.2 12.7 12.5 15.1 10.7 15.8 8.2 11.4 2.8
1941-1943
0.3 0.9 3.2 5.4 12.5 1H.9 27.0 33.7 34.5 30.6 30.0 27.9 14.3 7.1
1950-1952
1.0 0.8 3.0 6.5 16.7 37.2 59.7 77.8 102.9 86.3 83.9 59.7 71.0 15.8
Specified Primary
Total
13
37.7 84.7 123.3
Proved
1.3 15.1 41.6 41.6
Table 18 also answers a question pre viously raised. It shows that the members of the cohort have not died from lung can^cer at an age earlier than the general popu lation, ami that such an explanation cannot
"Mortality from 1ung Cancer In Canada,** 193! to 1952.
increase is particularly marked after age 50, confirming an observation previously made, to the effect that until recently lung
37.3 1U Ibe offered for the absence of lung cancer cancer has probably been underdiagnosed
|in 240_men with more than 40 years of in the older age groups in the general popu
Oloa tor 1954, ms *tv*u Employment referred to on jsigc 64.1.
lation.
^ Before leaving this comparison of the
To use these figures for purposes of
rized in Table Province with the miners, it should be
5cd number of shown that their age distributions are rea
iot significantly sonably the same. That this is the case can
mber of deaths. ibe observed from Table 19.
comparison, it is necessary to combine the rates for certain age groups in order to conform to the age distributions used in this study. Since the exact populations in eacli
1954 and 1955 1 It should be remembered that the miners age group for the years indicated is not is true that, in ^retire and consequently, it can be expected known, this must be an approximation.
>f 65 and over, that the oldest age group will be larger in However, the rates would be somewhat as
figure which is Ithe general population. The data presented follows:
% level. How- ^in Table 20 indicate that the lung cancer
iat this number rate generally decreases after age 70. There
Id but unproved
. Furthermore, e rate for the rstated in this
fore, we could expect the rate for all people over 65 to be smaller than the rate for the .group between 65 and 75' which would apply !;o the oldest group of miners. It is felt
reason that the I that by using the whole adult male popula
very old is not tion, we have developed rates for the gen
eral population which are somewhat lower
Age Group 20-44 45-54 55-64 654-
Rate S 27 69 '
90-95
These rates are, in general, lower than those developed for the total (proved and suspected) cases of lung cancer among the
asbestos miners. The only large difference, however, is in the age group of 65 years and
the Actual and mg Cancer nong
'S
than if we had been able to exclude the people in the general population over 75. 1 A comparison between the asbestos miners Jjand the population of the Dominion as a
over, and it is quite possible that the rate for this group may have increased for Canada between 1952 and 1954 as it did for the Province of Quebec (Table 17).
Observed No. jKetedot Deaths
oaths Proved .Total
Ot 1 1
3 1]
l* *4 35 - 00
jwhole was made, using statistical material
from several sources. In one source, Phil
lips 79 gave age- and sex-specific rates for
JCanada for three periods between 1931 and
1952. The rates for males are given in
Table 20.
.
A further comparison has been made with an over-all rate obtained from the American Cancer Society for respiratory cancer deaths in Canada in 1953. This rate, for males, Is 20.8 per 100,000, or 5 more per 100.000 than Phillips' 1950-1952 rate, and compares*
averare of the 1954 and Quebec.
These figures show strikingly the increase with 25.3 per 100.000 for proved cases and
in rates between 1931 and 1952, and this 33.8 per 100,000 for total cases among the
647
1 /.r.Yt; ('AWTA.
i. m. j. Altunins nr ixih\stkial health
Iahi.k 21.--Number of Deaths and Death Kates per HH)pOO by Aye Unatps far the . \dnlt
Male Population of the United States*
way, and other countries, at least 50,000 persons must be exposed throughout the world, and it can be assumed that this
Aw Group
21)-M
55-64 65+
Tom!
Population
24,M4.
,340,000 5,i7o.om* 44,610,000
Cases
Hhlt 2.9T0 i,2*4 t>, ISt
Kate per HW.UOO
:$r.n 1tHW..3ti
37.2
Data from "Vital Statistic* of Uto UiuUmI States,' Vol. 1 and 2, 1952.
asbestos miners in this study. It is there
number has been fairly constant in the 20 years *ince 1935 when the first case of asbestosis with lung cancer was reported. At least 1,000,000 man-years of exposure has thus been accumulated, and this figure can be divided by the approximately 150 cases of lung cancer with asbestosis re ported during the 20-year period. This
4j .K\f.rkihMt l"lflr < VfWf V' t\..; j* KPlrKohvtimSvHomf QMuotVuru-.*
I F/mincp *>f QuWwe l**ss **ulj:uvnt*' tturuto* Muiuiv.il ot Isle ii* Jt'
I* It is assume! :h:u .
fore obvious that there are no important gives a rate of 15 per 100,000, which is at- immediately sur
differences between the rates for asbestos least indicative that any lung cancer rate ducing areas is j
miners and those for the general population which can l>e calculated for workers ex of eight countii
of QucIk'C and the Dominion of 1`anada.
posed to asbestos dust is not much greater While Megantic
Since it is probable that figures for the than that for the uuexposcd population.
twice that of t!
United States are more complete and, there
Comparison Between Eight Counties Ad countiesj if is k
fore, possibly more comparable to the data jacent to the Asbestos-Producing Areas and : Province, and c
for the miners, age-specific rates were com Eight Selected Counties.--To compare lung t rate for Montre;
puted from "Vital Statistics of the United States,''Volumes f and If. for 1952. These
cancer mortality rates in the counties sur rounding the asbestos-producing areas with
ji would certainl-v 1 very low muni*
rates have been tabulated in Table 21.
another group of counties in which no as | 1950 and 1951.
It is apparent that these rates compare bestos miners are likely to reside, the rates in those years sc
favorably with those for the asbestos miners were computed on the basis of figures for undoubtedly beer
as shown in Table 8. Still other rates tor the United States were obtained from the American Cancer Society, and tor males, these were 25.3 per 100.000 in 1953. and
the years 1950 through 1955. The eight counties selected for comparison were Argenteuil, Chateaugay, Montniagny, Portneuf, Kichlieii. Rivicre-du-i .oup, St.
Iother years. 195C expected to be | won id result in j The only pos
28.0 per 100.01)0 in 1955. They are not llyacinthe. and Terrebonne, mainly because i compari.son" i.s t.lr
identical with the rate calculated from the they represent a wide geographic distribu the persons who
figures of the office of Vital Statistics, but tion throughout the Province. The counties ties surrounding
this is possibly because the American Can selected because of their proximity to the bestos-producing
cer Society rates are for males of ail ages. asbestos mines include Arthabaska, Eeauce, incidence of lur.
Nevertheless, they, too, compare favorably Drummond. Kmntennc, Megantic, Rich live elsewhere in
with the rates of 25 for 34 for total cases) obtaining among the asbestos miners.
Turning for a moment to a comparison between the asbestos miners and persons who are exposed to asbestos in one form
mond. Sherbrooke, and Wolfe. Table 22 shows the number of lung cancer deaths for the years 1950 through 1955 for each of these counties, and a mortality rate,
Ctiinuii^t on . Loses. T^:ng on tos Milters.--Ah tion of all the kr.
or another (as distinguished from the gen based on the adult male population in 1952. cancer of the lu
eral population groups just discused. who To emphasize the comparison, Megantic particular value :
have no exposure) an interesting observa County has been shown separately, as has view, it is of ir.
tion can lc developed by deduction. IIne the Province of Quebec and also the Prov cases for the reco
per88 has stated that there are about 35.000 ince with the eight "asbestos-producing'' prior to the beg-
persons exposed in the United States, and counties subtracted. Because of its unique covered by the sti:
we have found that the Canadian mines lung cancer death rate, Montreal et Isle de the diagnosis wa
employ about 8000. Elsewhere, it has been Jesus has also been listed in order to provide coma. During th
estimated that the workers in l'.ngland who 1 further comparison.
investigation, the:
have exposure total between 3000 and 5000.
It is apparent from the table that the and three susjh-i
With workers in Africa, Denmark. Nor-. lung cancer death rate for the eight counties Through 1956 m
were eight deaths.
648 l ol. 17, June, l'j>$ promt--Triton
RIAL HEALTH | LUXG CAXCER IN ASBESTOS MIXERS
. :t least 50,000
Tabi.k 22.--Xumber of l.uufi lamer l>entli.r unit Rale fer IO/i.l>in> Man-Years
throughout the umed that this istant in the 20 c first case of was reported, rs of exposure and this figure roximately 450
asbestosis re-
Count les
Mule Iahk ('.mm iVntlis *
Adult Malt* -
r<>|mlntl<>n
1952
1050
1951
1952
1953 1954
1955
County
7Kltftit "Atljamit'*
i;ui
:t 1.
t a
a3 y W*
11 1 111
iKltfht
('ount U*3
sit.niftt
2m
A Is
y
i province of Qurtn'C
M98.IXXI l!H 220 215 3U3 :nut 357
4 province of gurW'c lew eight
AI M'*oantlrJe;aKlvcntlMIseleutinetUJessus
I'Wn.nnfl 190 217
287 2W .Ml
394.000
7 158 192 185 225
* It is Assumed that all male Inns cancer deaths occurred after aye 20.
,
Total
15 54 49 11.21
157ft 770
H.m* pr lUO.UBl
ivy 9.4 9.8 22.0
2:i. 32.3
period. This immediately surrounding the asbestos-proXX), which is at facing areas is practically identical with that
ing cancer rate . 0f eight counties selected for comparison. >r workers ex- ; While Megantic County has a rate nearly >t much greater j twice that of the combined eight selected d population. 1 counties, it is lower than the rate for the
it Counties Ad- 3 Province, and considerably lower than the icing Areas ana Irate for Montreal. The figure for Montreal o compare lung ! would certainly be higher except for the e counties sur- 1very low numbers of deaths reported for cing areas with '1950 and 1951, and it would appear that n which no as- Jin those years some error in reporting has eside, the rates 3 undoubtedly been made. On the basis of the
of figures for jother years, 1950 and 1951 deaths would be `55. The eight Jexpected to be about 200 greater. This rison were Ar- :*would result in a rate of 40 per 100,000. tmagny. Port- j The only' possible conclusion from this du-Loup, Sr 'comparison is that there is no evidence that mainly bccau-e jthe persons who live and work in the counaphic distribu- fties surrounding and adjacent to the as The counties Jbestos-producing areas have any greater oximity to the !incidence of lung cancer than those who ibaska, Bcaucc, 4 live elsewhere in the Province, egantic, Rich- ] Comment on All Rccofded Lung Cancer
*lfe. Table 22 -Cases, Living and Dead, among the Asbescancer deauu tos Miners.--Although a simple enumera1955 for each Jtion of all the known or suspected cases of mortality .rate, jeancer of the lung in these areas has no ilation in 1952. ^particular value from a statistical point of son, Megantic Jview, it is of interest to summarize such irately, as has jcases for the record. There were nine deaths also the Pmv- iPr'or ,(> l*u' loginning of die time period tos-producino-" 1 covered by the study, including one in which of its unique ;^e diagnosis was mediastinal Ivmphosarreal et Isle d* lcoma- During the period covered by this rder to provide !invcstiSntion- t!u're wer ninc Provc><1 rases ]and three suspected cases in the cohort.
table that the !Through 195b and to date in 1957, there eight counties i"Tre ei&}lt <loat,,s' six of w}lich " crc 'merely L IT, June, 195S ^ra''-Trmn
suggestive of cancer of the lung and in cluded such diagnoses as mediastinal lymphosarcoma, mesothelioma, cancer of the leg with metastases to lung, abscess of lung, .and cancer of the pancreas. One other was diagnosed on the basis of x-ray only. In addition, there arc now living four cases in which the diagnostic evidence is strongly suggestive of lung cancer. This is a total of 33 cases of all tyj.es, including 10 "sus pected" but unproved cases, and 4 that are still living. The remaining 19 constitute the total of proved cases of cancer of the lung among the asbestos miners since 1940.
The proved cases averaged 59 years of age at death, and varied between 37 years and 68 years. Their working span covered periods varying from a minimum of 14 years to a maximum of 37 years. Only three men had less than 25 years of em ployment in the industry'. Seven among those on whom such information is avail able had a weighted exposure placing them in Category' III, and six worked in an exposure represented by Category I.
There were only 17 among these proved lung cancer cases in which we have in formation regarding the presence of as bestosis. Asbestosis was present in nine, although it was minimal in two. Two path ologists disagreed regarding its presence in another. At least seven of the 19 proved lung cancers, therefore, were not accom panied by asbestosis.
* Summary and Conclusions
Interest in the question of whether there may be an association between lung cancer
649
A. M. A. ARCHlms Ol: IXIH'STRIAI. HEALTH I.C.XC CAXCER /.'
and exposure to asbestos has been evident since the report in 19.55 by Lynch and Smith of a case in which lung cancer and asbestosis were both present. As additional cases in which the two diseases coexisted were reported, a causal association appears to have been gradually accepted by mainauthors, although some workers considered the correlation to be inconclusive. The pres ent study was undertaken in an effort to de termine whether a causa! relationship did, in fact, exist between exiosure to asbestos and cancer of the lung.
Since most earlier studies had been limited to enumerating the lung cancers found in certain selected samples, such as cases coming to autopsy or death certificates in which asbestosis was mentioned, it was apparent that they could not fulfill the re quirements of an epidemiological and sta tistical approach to the problem. The present study was, therefore, designed to meet the requirements of this method.
After a preliminary survey to explore the availability of reliable information, data were gathered on workers in the asbestos mines in Quebec, based on their medical records. A cohort was defined as a group of asbestos miners having at least five years of exposure and who were in the industryin 1950. Data relative to their characteristics were collected and their status at the end of a six-year period of observation was de termined. In the case of those who had died, an exhaustive search of death certif icates and insurance records was carried out in order to determine as nearly as possible
the exact cause of death. Mortality- rates from lung cancer for the general population of the Province of Quebec and its various counties and for the Dominion of Canada, as well as the United States were calculated from statistics collected in the appropriate places. Comparisons of the rates obtained for asbestos workers and for the other popu lation groups were made according to ac cepted statistical methods.
Records were obtained on 6091 persons who fulfilled the criteria of the cohort. It
650
was not possible to trace 1.5.5 of these for the whole period, but 5771 of the remaining 5958 were found to be still living in 1955 or later. Of the 187 known dead, cancer of the lung was considered to have been reasonably proved in 9 and to lx? strongly suggested iii 3.
The members of the cohort were studied with respect to age, length of employment, a weighted average of their exposure, and their smoking habits. It was found that 4673 were smokers within the definition of that term as used in this study. Thirty-four per cent of the cohort were more than 45 years of age, and thirty per cent had been employed for longer than 20 years. Thirty per cent had a weighted exposure which placed them in the category of highest ex posure.
The mortality- rate for lung cancer, as computed on the basis of nine "proved'' deaths among the cohort was 25.3 per 100, 000. When the three "suspected" cases were added, the "total" rate for the cohort rose to 33.8. The importance_of the suspected but unproved cases in determining these rates has been reiterated because it is likelv that such cases would not le included in the statistics for the general population and because they influence the results so mark edly.
According to the findings in this study, the mortality- rate from lung cancer does not appear to increase with length of ex posure or with degree of exposure, a fact which presents strong evidence against the carcinogenicity of asbestos.
Comparison of the experience among the asbestos miners with that of various seg ments of the unexposed, comparable popu lation shows that the observed number of deaths among the miners is not significantly greater than the expected number. The rate for proved cases among the asbestos miners (25.3 per 100.000) compares well with the rate of 22.5 per 100,000 for the rest of the Province, and 20.8 per 100,000 for adult males throughout the Dominion of Canada. It also compares satisfactorily with rates
if 37.2, 25.3, ami 2 sources for adult m Finally, in this n: would appear that t of persons ex[Kiw worse with resjx-vt of the unexjKised p*
The counties su producing areas, i: most of the asbest most identical murt: } sight counties wide Province, and are 1 remainder of the P than the rate for M
Since 1940 .there which the diagnosis the lung may be c proved. ApproximT; were associated with died in the recogntz least une-third had posure (Category I
On the basis os complete and reliab!
j^conclude that the .
Province of Quebec jicantiy higher death than do comparable population.
Furthermore, the cancer in the areas c tos operations is com widely scattered thr<> jOttelx.-c and is lout. Sized areas within the
refe:
1. Alascio Escobar, fReview of 200 Cases. J (.'0:375-37 (Sept.) ViC
2. Allen, M. L.: Brot tiH'iateil witti Pncinr.ui Cases, J. Indust. Hy-_r. It
3. Cartier, 1'.: A C. >f Asliesto-is, ArcA. r i'49.
4. Amler-on, C. S, aj aid Carcinoma of die f ! March) lu.tx.
5. Itaailcr,- H. W.; A jW'chnschr. f5:407-4fls t
1\>I. 17, June, in# \Sratui--TriwH
I-TALTH -U'-VG CANCER IX ASBESTOS MIXERS
|,)f 37.2, 25.3, and 28.0obtaiiu.il from various
cse for
It. Belli ms, \V.: Kx|ieriiuetital Asliestosis,
naming 'jourccs for adult males in the United States. Schweiz. Ztschr. allg. Path. 14:275-297, 1951.
n 1955
`Finally, in this matter of coni[arison, it
7. Behrens, \V., Jr.: The Clinical Picture and Pathology of Asbestosis, Ztsehr. Unfallmed. u.
i cancer \ould appear that the world-wide experience Bertifskrankli. 45:129-140 (June 15) 1952.
- been jf persons exposed to aslwstos dust is nut
8. llerhlinger, \V.: Increase of Lung Cancer
rongly jivorse with resjx'ct to lung cancer than that and Diseases Due to Dust Inhalation, Med. Klin.
tudied vtnent, c, and 1 that ion of /-four an 45
been Thirty which d ex-
Jof the unex|x).sed population. 1 The counties surrounding the asbestos-
'producing areas, in which it is presumed puost of the asbestos miners live, have al most identical mortality rates with those of fight counties widely scattered through the Province, and are lower than those for the ^remainder of the Province, and much lower ^ihan the rate for Montreal.
| Since 1940 there have been 19 cases in dtfhich the diagnosis of primary cancer of
:he lung may be considered to have been proved. Approximately half of these cases
27:1547-1442 (Sept. 11) 1941. 9. Bcrentilum, I.: Irritation and Carcinogenesis,
Arch. Path. 58:254-244 (Oct.) 1944. 10. 1'ohtve: Asbestosis, Deutsche tried. Wchnschr.
62:928-950 (June 5) 1936.
11. Bohme, A.: Results of Periodical Examina tions of Workers in an Asbestos Factory, Beitr. Silikose Forsch. 11:54, 1951.
12. Bowles, O.: Asbestos-Milling, Marketing and Fabrication, Information Circular No. 6869, U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, 1935, pp. 1-26.
15. Rreslow, L.; Hoaglin. L.; Rasmussen, G., and Abrams, H. K.: Occupations and Cigarette Smoking as Factors in Lung Cancer, Am. J.
*r, as Vere associated with asbestosis. All but one wed" lied in the recognized "caneer-age" and at 100,- 'east one-third had only the lightest exwere -iosure (Category I) to asbestos dust.
rose On the basis of what are believed to be
Tub. Health. 44:171-181 (Feb.) 1954.
14. Bristol, L. J.: Roentgenologic As[>ccts of Silicosis and Asbestosis, A. M. A. Arch. Indust. Health 11:189-195 (March) 1955.
15. Cancer of the Lung: An Evaluation of the Problem, Proceedings of the Scientific-- Section,
ected hWiplete and reliable data, it seems fair to Annual Meeting, American Cancer Society, Inc.,
these vonclude that the asbestos miners in the Nov. 3-4, 1953, New York, American Cancer
| !ikely province of Quebec do not have a signif Society, Inc., 1956.
| j
d in icantly higher death rate from lung earner
1 and lark-
jiait do comparable segments of
i 'population.
*
the general
16. Cartier. I'.: Asbestosis Cancer of the Lung, in discussion on Smith, W. K.: Survey of Some Current British and European Studies of Occupa tional Tumor, Problems, A. M. A. Arch. Iudust.
Furthermore, the death rate from lung Hyg. 5:262-263, 1952.
tI
j -udy, j does
ncer in the areas contiguous to the asbes
17. Cartier, P.: Some Clinical Observations of
tos operations is comparable to that in areas Asbestosis in Mine and Mill Workers, A. M. A.
widely scattered throughout the Province of Arch. 1 ndtist. Health 11:204-207 (March) 1955.
1 ex- `Oueltec and is lower than in some urban- 18. Clerens, J.: Research into Pulmonary Asbes
|
fact
Jr
lied areas within the Province.
tosis in Belgium, Arch, beiges nied. Sociale 8:557
(i the
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| ` the
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I the | 4. Anderson, C. S., and Dilde, J. 11.: Silicosis
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lult
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\ ttes j,Vcbnschr. 65:407-408 (March 17) 1959.
Greenhouse, S. W.: Some Statistical Considcra-
I 195? jpcintn--Triton
\
651
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i
J lions in the Study of Cancer in Industry, Ain. J.
41. (ilovnr. S. K.: l'm'iiiiiixonio-is: A Hijtr,-
l'uti. Health 44:1159-1106 (Sept.) 1054.
logical Survey ol Necropsy Material in 1205 Case,
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I 25. Davies, D. I'.: Current Status of Lung Lancet 1:810-814 (April 14) 1951.
'
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42. Gloyne, S. R.: A Case of Oat-Cell Car
59. Huvper Cancer of 1
$ CA 6:169-174 (Sept.) 1956.
cinoma of the Lung OiVurring in Aslx'st.rsi*
Dis. Clicsi
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.'
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