Lung cancer in railroad workers exposed to diesel exhaust.

摘要: Diesel exhaust has been suspected to be a lung carcinogen. The assessment of this cancer risk limited by lack studies exposed workers followed for many years. In study, we assessed mortality in 54,973 U.S. railroad between 1959 and 1996 (38 years). By 1959, the industry had largely converted from coal-fired diesel-powered locomotives. We obtained work histories Railroad Retirement Board, ascertained using Social Security, Health Care Financing Administration records. Cause death was National Death Index certificates. There were 43,593 total deaths including 4,351 deaths. Adjusting healthy worker survivor effect age, jobs associated with operating trains relative 1.40 (95% confidence interval, 1.30-1.51). Lung did not increase increasing years these jobs. elevated on powered diesel Although contribution exposure coal combustion products before cannot excluded, results suggest that contributed cohort. Key words: exhaust, cancer, occupational exposure.