Mortality of 11,500 nickel workers--extended follow up and relationship to environmental conditions

Abstract

An extended follow-up from 1977-84 was achieved in a cohort of 11,567 nickel workers engaged in mining, milling and smelting originally studied from 1950-76. Exposure data were incorporated into the analysis. One nasal cancer occurred. The lung cancer Standardized Mortality Ratio beyond 15 years from first exposure was significantly high overall (128) and in miners (153). However, detailed analyses by era of first mining and duration of mining, as well as cumulative exposure to different nickel species, did not appear consistent with an occupational etiology since significant trends were not observed. At the levels of exposure incurred, large increases in lung and nasal cancer, observed in nickel refineries elsewhere, did not occur.