Lung cancer and the debrisoquine metabolic phenotype

182

of comparisons (e.g., for persons hired before the star1 dates for the study and for workers also exposed to particulates). There was a lack of consistency among the various plants for risk of lung cancer, with six plants having elevated SMRs and four plants having deficits. Mortality from lung cancer was more stronlgy associated with exposure to other substances including phenol, melamine, urea, and wood dust than with exposure to formaldehyde. Workers exposed to formaldchyde without cxposurc to tbcse substances did not experience an elevated mortality from lung cancer. The risk did not increase with cumulauvc levels of formaldehyde among those exposed to other substances and thcrc was a slightly negative trend for those exposed lo formaldehyde alone. Although some role for formaldehyde, particularly in association with other substances, in the excess of lung cancer large number

Seen among these workers cannot bc ruled out, these findings suggest that exposure to phenol, melamine, urea, wood dust or other exposures also occuring in the area where these substances were used (i.e., production of resin and molding compounds) may play a more primary role. This association should be further evaluated in other studies that include workers from resin and moldmg compound operations. Epidemiologic cancer

characteristics

and

multiple

risk

factors

of lung

in Taiwan

Chen C-J, Wu H-Y, Chuang Y-C et al. lnstiwe of Public ffeallh, Nafionol Taiwan Universily College of Medicine, 7hipei. Anticancer Res 1990;10:971-6. The specific aim of this study was to examine epidemiologic characteristics and multiple risk factors of lung cancer in Taiwan. The ageadjusted mortality from lung cancer has been mcreasing since the early 1950s with a constant malt-to-female ratio of around 2.0. International comparison of cumulative mortality from lung cancer showed a much lower male-to-female ratio in Chinese than in other populations. Signiflcantly high mortality from lung cancer was observed in highly arscnicism in Taiwan. urbanized cities and the endemic area of chrome Significant associations of active and passive cigarette smoking with epidermoid carcinoma, small cell carcmoma and adenocarcmoma of the lung were observed in a hosplta-based case-control study carried out in Taipei mcuopolitan areas. Alcohol drinking, coffee drinking and various types of indoor air pollution were not related to lung cancer after the cigarette smoking hablt was adjusted through a multiple logistic regression analysis.

515 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN55455. J Natl Cancer Inst 1990;82: 1272.9. Segregation analyses that allowed for variable age of onset of lung cancer and smoking history were performed on 337 families, each ascertained through a lung cancer proband. Results indicated compatibility of the data with mendelian codominant inheritance of a rare major autosomal gene that produces earlier age of onset of the cancer. Segregation at this putative locus could account for 69% and 47% of the cumulative incidence of lung cancer in individuals up to ages 50 and 60, repectively. The gene was involved in only 22% of all lung cancers in persons up to age 70, a reflection of an increasing proportion of noncarriers succumbing to the effects of long-term exposure to tobacco. f/nilA,

Radon and lung cancer: The BEIR IV report Fabrikant JI. Dormer Laboratory and Dormer Pavilion, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720. Health Phys 1990;59:89-97. The National Academy of Sciences ‘BEIR IV Report (1988) deals primarily with lung cancer risks in human populations exposed to internally deposited a-emitting Rn and its decay products. Quantitative risk estimates for lung cancer are derived from analyses of epidemiologic data. A modified excess relative risk model of lung cancer mortality of worker exposure to Rn progeny in underground miners is developed. This models the excess risk per WLM (working level month) in terms of time intervals prior to an attained age, and is dependent on time since exposure and age at risk. Risk proJections for the general publin in indoor domestic environments are presented and cover exposure situations of current public health concern. For example, lifetime exposure to 1 WLM y-’ is estimated to increase the number of deaths due to lung cancer by a factor of about 1.5 over the current rate for both males and females in a population having the current prevalence of cigarette smoking. Occupational exposure to 4 WLM y-l from ages 20 to 40 y is projected to increase lung cancer deaths in the general population by a factor of 1.6 over the current rate of this age cohort. In all of these cases, most of the increased risk occurs to smokers for whom the is up to IO times greater than for nonsmokers. Discussion includes the extrapolatron of estimates of lung cancer mortality risks from the underground miner data to the general population exposed to Rn and its decay products in the indoor domestic environment.

Comparison Lung

cancer

and the debrisoquine

metabolic

of fibre

paraoccupational

phenotype

types and size disbributions

and occupational

in long tissues of

cases of malignant

mesotheli-

Caporaso NE, Tucker MA, Hoover RN et al. EnvironmenIal Epidemiolo.gy Branch, Execuiive Plaza Nonh, Nauonai Insritum of Healfh, Bethesda. MD 20892. J Nat1 Cancer lnst 1990:82:1264-72. In a case-control study, we tested the hypothesis that the genetically determmcd ability to mctabolue debrisoquine 1s related to risk of lung cancer. Overall, Individuals who were cxtcnslvc mctabolirers of debrisoquinc were at slgnificandy greater risk of lung cancer than those who were poor or intermcdlate mctabolircrs (odds ratio = 6.1; 95% confidence interval = 2.2-17.1). In this study, cast patients had lung cancer, and control subjec& had either chronic obstructive pulmonary disease orcancerother than lung cancer. Results were adjusted forage, race, asbestos expoosurc, and smokmg. Both black and white individuals who were extenslvc mctaboli7zrs of debrlsoquinc were at sigmficantly increascdrisk~~rsimllaradjusuncnt(forblacks,oddsratio=4.5,95% confidence interval = 1.1-18.1; for whites, odds ratio = 10.2, 95% confidence interval = 2.0-51.4). Slgniftcantly increased risk of lung cancer was also present for individuals who were extensive melabolizers when subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other cancers were considered scparatcly. These data confirm that the abihty to metabolize debrlsoquine is a major determinant of susceptibility IO lung cancer. Evaluation of the marker in other case-control settings, farther explorationofracial diffcrcnces, and theprospectlveevaluation of lhis marker in subgroups at high risk of lung cancer are areas worthy of further study.

Gibbs AR, Griffiths DM, Poolcy FD, Jones JSP. Departmenr of Mining and Minerals Engineering. University College, Cardiff. Br J Ind Med 1990;47:621-6. The result of analysis of mineral fibers m lung tissues from IO paraoccupational cases of malignant mesothclioma were compared with analysis obtained from seven cases of malignant mesotheliomas that had developed in gas mask workers. Nme of the paraoccupational cases were considered to have developed their tumours because of exposure to asbestos on their husbands’ working clothes and one cancer developed in the daughter of a man who had died of asbestosis. The gas mask workers haddirect exposure toasbestos while working m a factory that produced military gas masks. The results of mineral fibre analysis m the paraoccupatlonal cases were variable; SIX showed high crocidolite concentrations, seven raised amositc concentrations and two normal concentrations of all types of asbestos fibrc mcasurcd. Chrysotile was raised m one case but crocidolitc and amosite were also increased. The gas mask workers showed aconsistcnt pattern with high crocidolite concentrations of chrysotile and amosite. Fibre lengths for chrysotile were simdar in both groups and predominantly less than 5 pm. Crocidolite fibres tended to be longer in the gas mask workers than in the paraoccupational group and longer than chrysotile in both groups. Amosite fibres tended to be more variable in width than those of chrysorde or crocidolite.

Evidence

Does asbestosis

of mendelian

inheritance

in the

pathogenesis

of lung

cancer

Sellers TA, Badcy-Wilson JE, Elston RC et al. Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Ifealth. University ofMinnesoia. Ilealth Sciences

oma

increase

the risk of lung cancer?

Edelman DA. Medical Research Consulmnts Inc.. 68 Spy&m Circle, Gromn, CT 06340. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1990;62:345-9. The qucstlon of whether asbestos workers with or wIthout asbestosls