Gastric cancer and coal mine dust exposure. A case‐control study

Abstract

Based on evidence that coal miners have elevated gastric cancer mortality rates, a case‐control study was developed to assess the gastric cancer risk of coal mine dust exposure. Forty‐six cases of US white male gastric cancer deaths from NIOSH coal miner cohorts were individually matched by age to controls. From these data we show that a statistically elevated gastric cancer risk exists for miners who have prolonged exposure to coal mine dust and prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis, a disease defined in terms of coal dust deposition in the lungs, was not found to be a gastric cancer risk. Copyright © 1983 American Cancer Society