Lung cancer mortality and occupational exposure to asbestos among telephone linemen: a historical cohort study in France

J Occup Environ Med. 2006 Nov;48(11):1166-72. doi: 10.1097/01.jom.0000243357.70143.47.

Abstract

Objective: The authors studied the mortality by lung cancer in telephone linemen exposed to asbestos at low levels during installation of telephone cables.

Methods: Three hundred eight lung cancers deaths were identified in the cohort. Exposure to asbestos and to other occupational carcinogens was assessed using a job-exposure matrix.

Results: The relative risk for lung cancer death associated with an estimated exposure of approximately 2 f/cc-years was 2.1 (95% confidence interval = 1.1-4.0) as compared with workers exposed to less than 0.5 f/cc-years. Mean annual exposure or exposure duration were not clearly related to lung cancer. Adjustment for other occupational lung carcinogens did not change this finding.

Conclusion: The observed mortality by lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure at low levels is higher than the prediction based on linear downward extrapolations from highly exposed occupational cohorts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Air Pollutants, Occupational / adverse effects*
  • Asbestos / adverse effects*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Electric Wiring
  • France / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Diseases / mortality*
  • Occupational Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Risk
  • Telephone
  • Welding / statistics & numerical data

Substances

  • Air Pollutants, Occupational
  • Asbestos