INCIDENCE OF CANCER AMONG ANTHOPHYLLITE ASBESTOS MINERS IN FINLAND

A cohort of 736 male and 167 female workers of two anthophyllite mines in Finland was followed up through the Finnish Cancer Registry for ca ncer in 1953-91. Compared with the total cancer incidence of the east Finnish population, the men had a raised risk of total cancer (standar dised incidence ratio (SIR) 1.7; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4- 1.9), mainly attributable to an excess in lung cancer (SIR 2.8; 95% CI 2.2-3.6). The risk of lung cancer was somewhat higher among workers c lassified as heavily exposed (SIR 3.2; 95% CI 2.4-4.1) than among thos e moderately exposed (SIR 2.3; 95% CI 1.5-3.6) and the risk increased with increasing smoking and with increasing time of work with exposure . There were four cases of mesothelioma v 0.1 expected, all in men who smoked and had had a long and heavy asbestos exposure. Among women, a non-significant excess in total cancer (SIR 1.5; 95% CI 0.9-2.4) was found in the subgroup with heavy exposure to asbestos. Anthophyllite a sbestos seems to have high potency in the carcinogenesis of lung cance r and low potency in carcinogenesis of mesothelioma in comparison with the other types of asbestos.