Uranium mining in Germany: incidence of occupational diseases 1946-1999.

OBJECTIVES: In East Germany, uranium mining was performed on a large scale for approximately 45 years (1946-1990). In particular, the poor working conditions during the post-war years until 1955 led to a high level of occupational diseases. The present study gives an overview of the occurrence of occupational diseases during the mining period as well as after uranium mining was stopped in 1990. METHODS: The number of occupational diseases which occurred during the mining period was calculated from the files of the former Wismut SDAG. Although exposure to uranium ceased after 1990, new cases of occupational diseases were recognized after that date. These were recorded by the German Federation Of Institutions For Statutory Accident Insurance And Prevention (HVBG). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Today, more than 35,000 cases of occupational diseases are known, and many more are expected. About two-thirds of them are lung diseases: 16,376 cases of silicosis/silicotuberculosis and 7,695 cases of bronchial carcinomas. The increase in the number of recognized occupational diseases is shown and discussed against the background of changes in criteria for recognition and in working conditions as well as the duration of the latency period.

[The mortality from malignant neoplasms in the population of a large industrial city with petroleum-refining and petrochemical enterprises]. / Smertnost' ot zlokachestvennykh novoobrazovanii naseleniia krupnogo promyshlennogo goroda s neftepererabatyvaiushchimi i neftekhimicheskimi prepriiatiiami.

Air pollution with toxic chemical near oil-processing and petrochemical enterprises is significantly higher than in administrative district of the city. The studies proved that level and share of mortality with malignancies of trachea, bronchi and lungs is higher in industrial district, than that in the administrative one. The standardized parameters of mortality among females were increased in the industrial district, especially in 70s and 80s, i.e. in 10-20 years after launching the plants. The industrial district was characterized by higher mortality at young age. The mortality with the studied cancers at age of 20-29 and 30-39 prevailed in the industrial district.

A comparison between the localization of lung tumors in uranium miners and in nonminers from 1947 to 1991.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer was noted to be increased in cigarette smoking miners and nonminers. Carcinogen particulates deposit differentially in the central, middle, and peripheral zones of the bronchial tree depending on the size of the particle. The object of this study was to evaluate the incidence of tumors; their cell types; and the relationship of particulate size to their position in the bronchial tree. METHODS: Tumor position in the bronchial tree was studied for a cohort of 467 uranium miners and 311 nonminers with lung cancer. RESULTS: An examination of all histologic subtypes showed that the proportion of lung cancers in the central zone was significantly greater in miners than in nonminers presumably due to the deposition of radon decay products attached to the silica dust particles. The higher percentage of central tumors in the miners was primarily due to the distribution of a greater proportion of squamous cell and small-cell tumors. The ratio of 0.75 for the central to middle and peripheral location for adenocarcinomas was much lower than for squamous cell and small-cell carcinomas with ratios of 1.4 and 7.3, respectively. In the mining cohort, there were ten times as many small-cell tumors in the central area as in the middle and peripheral regions, whereas, for the nonminers there were only five times as as many centrally located small-cell tumors as middle and peripheral (chi square is 7.0 degrees, P < 0.01). These data suggest that radon may be deposited preferentially to the central region of the lungs in uranium miners. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our observations of the differential positions of lung tumors in the bronchial tree for miners and nonminers and previous studies by others regarding size-dependent deposition of particulates in the bronchial tree, it is concluded that inhaled dust, radon, and cigarette smoke combine to form large particulates that deposit in the central bronchial tree. Filtered cigarette smoke or other small carcinogens from smaller particulates that deposit more peripherally.

[Radon and primary bronchial cancer]. / Radon et cancer bronchique primitif.

Radon is a natural radioactive gas, with worldwide distribution, deriving from uranium decay products, which can be inhaled, weather in mining condition (extraction and management of uranium ores) or in domestic condition (in some high risk homes or geographic areas). The main epidemiologic studies on uranium mining workers have all confirmed an excess in relative risk of primary lung cancer. Epidemiologic studies on indoor exposure suggest a role of radon in the genesis of a certain number of primary lung cancer, although these results remain controversial and need to be confirmed. An overview of the main actual problems related to this bronchial carcinogen is presented in this paper.

[Effects of coffee on the respiratory system]. / Les effets du café sur l'appareil respiratoire.

The consumption of coffee is a very old and popular habit. It is possible that it may have an effect on the respiratory system and on the regulation of respiration. Apart from the manifestations of hypersensitivity linked to the handling of green coffee, the consumption of coffee can have different effects. On the one hand it has a beneficial effect on bronchospasm. On the other hand its consumption has been suspected of contributing to the development of chronic airflow obstruction (COPD) and also in the genesis of bronchial cancer, without, however, its responsibility being proven in a clear fashion. In fact, in these two latter pathological circumstances, the causal relationship is probably indirectly linked to the fact that there is a strong positive correlation between the consumption of coffee and of tobacco. Finally the consumption of coffee increases ventilatory frequency in normal subjects and also in the course of COPD, and if taken in large quantities by pregnant women, there is an increased risk of neonatal apnoea in the newborn, by an abrupt cessation in the caffeine level.