Lung cancer among coal miners, ore miners and quarrymen: smoking-adjusted risk estimates from the synergy pooled analysis of case-control studies

Dirk Taeger, Beate Pesch, Benjamin Kendzia, Thomas Behrens, Karl-Heinz Jöckel, Dirk Dahmann, Jack Siemiatycki, Hans Kromhout, Roel Vermeulen, Susan Peters, Ann Olsson, Irene Brüske, Heinz-Erich Wichmann, Isabelle Stücker, Florence Guida, Adonina Tardón, Franco Merletti, Dario Mirabelli, Lorenzo Richiardi, Hermann PohlabelnWolfgang Ahrens, Maria Teresa Landi, Neil Caporaso, Angela Cecilia Pesatori, Anush Mukeriya, Neonila Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Jolanta Lissowska, Per Gustavsson, John Field, Michael W Marcus, Eleonora Fabianova, Andrea 't Mannetje, Neil Pearce, Peter Rudnai, Vladimir Bencko, Vladimir Janout, Rodica Stanescu Dumitru, Lenka Foretova, Francesco Forastiere, John McLaughlin John McLaughlin, Paul Demers Paul Demers, Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Joachim Schüz Joachim Schüz, Kurt Straif Kurt Straif, Thomas Brüning

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVES: Working in mines and quarries has been associated with an elevated lung cancer risk but with inconsistent results for coal miners. This study aimed to estimate the smoking-adjusted lung cancer risk among coal miners and compare the risk pattern with lung cancer risks among ore miners and quarrymen.

    METHODS: We estimated lung cancer risks of coal and ore miners and quarrymen among 14 251 lung cancer cases and 17 267 controls from the SYNERGY pooled case-control study, controlling for smoking and employment in other at-risk occupations.

    RESULTS: Ever working as miner or quarryman (690 cases, 436 controls) was associated with an elevated odds ratio (OR) of 1.55 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.34-1.79] for lung cancer. Ore miners (53 cases, 24 controls) had a higher OR (2.34, 95% CI 1.36-4.03) than quarrymen (67 cases, 39 controls; OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.21-3.05) and coal miners (442 cases, 297 controls; OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.18-1.67), but CI overlapped. We did not observe trends by duration of exposure or time since last exposure.

    CONCLUSIONS: This pooled analysis of population-based studies demonstrated an excess lung cancer risk among miners and quarrymen that remained increased after adjustment for detailed smoking history and working in other at-risk occupations. The increase in risk among coal miners were less pronounced than for ore miners or quarrymen.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)467-477
    Number of pages11
    JournalScandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
    Volume41
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2015

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