Nonrespiratory mortality and cancer incidence in a cohort of Canadian nickel workers

ABSTRACT

Mortality and cancer incidence were examined for an updated cohort of nonsinter nickel workers in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. Abstract results are provided for those with ≥ 15 years since first exposure. For circulatory disease mortality, significant elevations were observed overall in many Sudbury work areas and in Port Colborne staff. Underground miners, with first exposure before 1960, displayed significant elevations for pneumoconiosis, as well as silicosis and anthrasilicosis, likely due to crystalline silica. Significant elevations in colorectal cancer incidence were observed in Sudbury underground mining, mining maintenance, and maintenance work areas. Given a case-control study is not practical, the next cohort update should include more detailed occupational exposure assessment, including dust exposure, diesel engine emissions, solvents, various metals, silica, and sulphur dioxide.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer incidence
• cohort
• mortality
• nickel
• occupational epidemiology

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Robert Semenciw of the Public Health Agency of Canada for supplying and running some statistical programs, and to Statistics Canada for supplying health data and the record linkage for the study.

Disclosure statement

The article was reviewed by both union and management representatives. Data interpretations in this article represent the independent scientific views of the authors.

Funding

Vale Canada Ltd. provided funding for the study.