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

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

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