miners in coal mines; lung cancer; pneumoconiosis; silica; smoking

In this epidemiological study, the risk of lung cancer was analysed in a sample of 7772 ex-miners who worked in black-coal mines.The sample included miners who worked in the mining profession for at least 8 years.The data of individual and occupational history of miners were combined with data from the Regional Cancer Register and Register of Inhabitants.The study sample included 55% of smorkers,14% of ex-smokers and 31% of non-smokers.The risk of malignant tumour diseases, including lung cancer in miners, did not sigificantly differ from the occurence of these diseases in the Czech Republic.About 80% of the persons with lung cancer were smokers and 18% of them fell ill with pneumoconiosis.Results from the Cox proportional hazards model indicate that smoking significantly shortened the survival time controlled for age and other factors.Relative risk of lung cancer for persons with pneumoconiosis, controlled for age and other factors,was higher,but no statistically significant.

In this epidemiological study, the risk of lung cancer was analysed in a sample of 7772 ex-miners who worked in black-coal mines.The sample included miners who worked in the mining profession for at least 8 years.The data of individual and occupational history of miners were combined with data from the Regional Cancer Register and Register of Inhabitants.The study sample included 55% of smorkers,14% of ex-smokers and 31% of non-smokers.The risk of malignant tumour diseases, including lung cancer in miners, did not sigificantly differ from the occurence of these diseases in the Czech Republic.About 80% of the persons with lung cancer were smokers and 18% of them fell ill with pneumoconiosis.Results from the Cox proportional hazards model indicate that smoking significantly shortened the survival time controlled for age and other factors.Relative risk of lung cancer for persons with pneumoconiosis, controlled for age and other factors,was higher,but no statistically significant.