The Pooled Uranium Miners Analysis (PUMA) study is the largest uranium miners cohort with 119,709 miners, 4.3 million person-years at risk and 7754 lung cancer deaths. Excess relative rate (ERR) estimates for lung cancer mortality per unit of cumulative exposure to radon progeny in working level months (WLM) based on the PUMA study have been reported. The ERR/WLM was modified by attained age, time since exposure or age at exposure, and exposure rate. This pattern was found for the full PUMA cohort and the 1960 + sub-cohort, i.e., miners hired in 1960 or later with chronic low radon exposures and exposure rates. The aim of the present paper is to calculate the lifetime excess absolute risk (LEAR) of lung cancer mortality per WLM using the PUMA risk models, as well as risk models derived in previously published smaller uranium miner studies, some of which are included in PUMA. The same methods were applied for all risk models, i.e., relative risk projection up to <95 years of age, an exposure scenario of 2 WLM per year from age 18-64 years, and baseline mortality rates representing a mixed Euro-American-Asian population. Depending upon the choice of model, the estimated LEAR per WLM are 5.38 × 10-4 or 5.57 × 10-4 in the full PUMA cohort and 7.50 × 10-4 or 7.66 × 10-4 in the PUMA 1960 + sub-cohort, respectively. The LEAR per WLM estimates derived from risk models reported for previously published uranium miners studies range from 2.5 × 10-4 to 9.2 × 10-4. PUMA strengthens knowledge on the radon-related lung cancer LEAR, a useful way to translate models for policy purposes.

• Klíčová slova
• Cohort study, Lifetime risk, Lung cancer, Mortality, Radon, Uranium miners,
• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• nádory plic * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání * epidemiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• proteiny regulující apoptózu MeSH
• radon * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• uran * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• proteiny regulující apoptózu MeSH
• radon * MeSH
• uran * MeSH

OBJECTIVES: Radon is a ubiquitous occupational and environmental lung carcinogen. We aim to quantify the association between radon progeny and lung cancer mortality in the largest and most up-to-date pooled study of uranium miners. METHODS: The pooled uranium miners analysis combines 7 cohorts of male uranium miners with 7754 lung cancer deaths and 4.3 million person-years of follow-up. Vital status and lung cancer deaths were ascertained between 1946 and 2014. The association between cumulative radon exposure in working level months (WLM) and lung cancer was modelled as the excess relative rate (ERR) per 100 WLM using Poisson regression; variation in the association by temporal and exposure factors was examined. We also examined analyses restricted to miners first hired before 1960 and with <100 WLM cumulative exposure. RESULTS: In a model that allows for variation by attained age, time since exposure and annual exposure rate, the ERR/100 WLM was 4.68 (95% CI 2.88 to 6.96) among miners who were less than 55 years of age and were exposed in the prior 5 to <15 years at annual exposure rates of <0.5 WL. This association decreased with older attained age, longer time since exposure and higher annual exposure rate. In analyses restricted to men first hired before 1960, we observed similar patterns of association but a slightly lower estimate of the ERR/100 WLM. CONCLUSIONS: This new large, pooled study confirms and supports a linear exposure-response relationship between cumulative radon exposure and lung cancer mortality which is jointly modified by temporal and exposure factors.

• Klíčová slova
• Cancer, Miners, Radiation, Radon,
• MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic * etiologie   MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• proteiny regulující apoptózu MeSH
• radon * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• uran * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. MeSH
• Názvy látek
• proteiny regulující apoptózu MeSH
• radon * MeSH
• uran * MeSH

BACKGROUND: Despite reductions in exposure for workers and the general public, radon remains a leading cause of lung cancer. Prior studies of underground miners depended heavily upon information on deaths among miners employed in the early years of mine operations when exposures were high and tended to be poorly estimated. OBJECTIVES: To strengthen the basis for radiation protection, we report on the follow-up of workers employed in the later periods of mine operations for whom we have more accurate exposure information and for whom exposures tended to be accrued at intensities that are more comparable to contemporary settings. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of cohort studies of lung cancer mortality among 57,873 male uranium miners in Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, and the United States, who were first employed in 1960 or later (thereby excluding miners employed during the periods of highest exposure and focusing on miners who tend to have higher quality assessments of radon progeny exposures). We derived estimates of excess relative rate per 100 working level months (ERR/100 WLM) for mortality from lung cancer. RESULTS: The analysis included 1.9 million person-years of observation and 1,217 deaths due to lung cancer. The relative rate of lung cancer increased in a linear fashion with cumulative exposure to radon progeny (ERR/100 WLM=1.33; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.88). The association was modified by attained age, age at exposure, and annual exposure rate; for attained ages <55 y, the ERR/100 WLM was 8.38 (95% CI: 3.30, 18.99) among miners who were exposed at ≥35 years of age and at annual exposure rates of <0.5 working levels. This association decreased with older attained ages, younger ages at exposure, and higher exposure rates. DISCUSSION: Estimates of association between radon progeny exposure and lung cancer mortality among relatively contemporary miners are coherent with estimates used to inform current protection guidelines. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10669.

• MeSH
• dceřiné produkty radonu MeSH
• horníci * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic * MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice * MeSH
• radon * MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Názvy látek
• dceřiné produkty radonu MeSH
• radon * MeSH
• uran * MeSH

Epidemiological evidence of lung cancer risk from radon is based mainly on studies of underground miners where occupational exposures were, historically, relatively high in comparison to residential indoor exposure. However, radiation protection measures have caused radon levels in uranium mines to decrease significantly in more recent periods. Miners' occupational exposure is limited to their working years while they are exposed to environmental radon at home over their entire lifetime. Even during their limited working years, workers spend much more time at home than in workplaces. The biological effect of radon in mines cannot be distinguished from the biological effect of residential radon. Therefore, for an exposure-risk relationship study of former uranium miners, excess radon-induced lung cancer cases should be related to the combined radon exposure cumulated in workplaces and at homes in excess of the radon exposure of the reference population. This is especially important when residential radon levels differ or vary significantly between miners and the reference population over the course of extended follow-up years. This paper reviews some recent studies on former uranium miners, shares what seems controversial to the author and wonders whether lifetime exposure at home to widely varying radon concentrations can actually impact the quality of exposure assessment, and hence impact the results of the exposure-risk relationship.

• Klíčová slova
• Exposure assessment, Radon-222, Risk assessment, Uranium miners,
• MeSH
• bydlení MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením epidemiologie   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání epidemiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice * MeSH
• radioaktivní látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• radon * MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• znečištění vzduchu ve vnitřním prostředí MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Francie epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• radioaktivní látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• radon * MeSH
• uran * MeSH

BACKGROUND: This study aims to estimate the association between radon and site-specific cancer mortality among a large contemporary cohort of male uranium miners. METHODS: Annual occupational radon exposure was estimated based on a worker's duration of underground mining in a year and estimates of potential alpha energy of radon progeny in their location of work. Cancer mortality over the period 1977-1992 was ascertained for a cohort of 16 434 male underground uranium miners employed in the Czech Republic between 1946 and 1992. Poisson regression was used to estimate relationships between cumulative radiation exposure (in working level months [WLM]) and site-specific cancer mortality. RESULTS: Radon is positively associated with lung cancer mortality (excess relative rate [ERR] per 100 WLM = 0.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10, 0.37). The best fit of the dose-response relationship between radon and lung cancer mortality was linear and estimates of radon-lung cancer associations varied by windows of time-since-exposure. Positive associations between radon and several types of cancer other than lung cancer were identified, notably chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (ERR/100 WLM = 0.24; 95% CI: [not determined [ND], 5.10]) and extrathoracic cancer (ERR/100 WLM = 0.12; 95% CI: [ND, 0.69]). We observed no associations between radon and stomach cancer, nor between radon and several hematopoietic cancer subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the established radon-lung cancer association and suggests that radon may also be associated with other types of cancer mortality. Further investigations of extrathoracic and CLL cancer, with the aim of obtaining more precise estimates, are warranted to understand associations between radon and cancers other than lung.

• Klíčová slova
• cancer, lung cancer, radon, uranium mining,
• MeSH
• chronická lymfatická leukemie etiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic etiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením mortalita   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání etiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• Poissonovo rozdělení MeSH
• pracovní expozice škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• radon toxicita   MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• radon MeSH
• uran * MeSH

OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological studies of underground miners have provided clear evidence that inhalation of radon decay products causes lung cancer. Moreover, these studies have served as a quantitative basis for estimation of radon-associated excess lung cancer risk. However, questions remain regarding the effects of exposure to the low levels of radon decay products typically encountered in contemporary occupational and environmental settings on the risk of lung cancer and other diseases, and on the modifiers of these associations. These issues are of central importance for estimation of risks associated with residential and occupational radon exposures. METHODS: The Pooled Uranium Miner Analysis (PUMA) assembles information on cohorts of uranium miners in North America and Europe. Data available include individual annual estimates of exposure to radon decay products, demographic and employment history information on each worker and information on vital status, date of death and cause of death. Some, but not all, cohorts also have individual information on cigarette smoking, external gamma radiation exposure and non-radiological occupational exposures. RESULTS: The PUMA study represents the largest study of uranium miners conducted to date, encompassing 124 507 miners, 4.51 million person-years at risk and 54 462 deaths, including 7825 deaths due to lung cancer. Planned research topics include analyses of associations between radon exposure and mortality due to lung cancer, cancers other than lung, non-malignant disease, modifiers of these associations and characterisation of overall relative mortality excesses and lifetime risks. CONCLUSION: PUMA provides opportunities to evaluate new research questions and to conduct analyses to assess potential health risks associated with uranium mining that have greater statistical power than can be achieved with any single cohort.

• Klíčová slova
• Radon, cancer, cardiovascular, low-level ionising radiation, uranium miners,
• MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• horníci * MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• kouření cigaret epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic epidemiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením epidemiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání epidemiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• radon škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa epidemiologie   MeSH
• Severní Amerika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• radon MeSH
• uran * MeSH

It is well established that high radon exposures increase the risk of lung cancer mortality. The effects of low occupational exposures and the factors that confound and modify this risk are not clear and are needed to inform current radiation protection of miners. The risk of lung cancer mortality at low radon exposures (< 100 working-level months) was assessed in the joint cohort analysis of Czech, French, and Canadian uranium miners, employed in 1953 or later. Statistical analysis was based on linear Poisson regression modeling with grouped cohort survival data. Two sensitivity analyses were used to assess potential confounding from tobacco smoking. A statistically significant linear relationship between radon exposure and lung cancer mortality was found. The excess relative risk per working-level month was 0.022 (95% confidence intervals: 0.013-0.034), based on 408 lung cancer deaths and 394,236 person-years of risk. Time since exposure was a statistically significant modifier; risk decreased with increasing time since exposure. A tendency for a decrease in risk with increasing attained age was observed, but this was not statistically significant. Exposure rate was not found to be a modifier of the excess relative risk. The potential confounding effect of tobacco smoking was estimated to be small and did not substantially change the radon-lung cancer mortality risk estimates. This joint cohort analysis provides strong evidence for an increased risk of lung cancer mortality from low occupational radon exposures. The results suggest that radiation protection measures continue to be important among current uranium miners.

• Klíčová slova
• Cohort, Epidemiology, Lung cancer, Radon, Risk, Smoking, Uranium mining,
• MeSH
• horníci * MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• kouření tabáku MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic epidemiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením epidemiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání epidemiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• radon škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Francie epidemiologie   MeSH
• Kanada epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• radon MeSH
• uran * MeSH