268 Abstracts/Lung Cancer 10 (1993) 266-286

tumour specitnms exemined, but no N-ras or Has mutations were found. The highest frequency of K-ras mutation was observed in edeaocarcinome: 12 of the 21 samples studied (57%) had a mutation, whichisweoftbehighcst~~~icsreportedforl~ndenocorcinoms. Thecommonesttypeofmutntioniathesslungtumour~lesconsisted of transversions: we observed 11, of which 8 (57 % of ell mutations) were G to T trensversions. Most of the 48 patients studied bed P history of heavy smoking, either with or without evidence of occupetionrd exposure to asbestos. Stetistical analysis revealed - in addition to the highly signiticant association between the adenocarcinome type of lung cancer and K-ras mutation - a clear association of K-ras mutations with heavy life-time smoking (50 pack-years of cigarette smoking: odds ratio (OR) 4.9, 90% CI 1.2-19.5. multivariete analysis). In addition, ~u~tiolulssbestosexpogursshowsdsnelev~. hutnon-significent, OR of 2.2 (90% CI 0.6-8.7) with the presence of K-ms mutation. We conclude thet the occ-ce of K-res mutations in adeuocarcinoma of the lung is frequent, end thet such mutations are associated with heavy life-time exposure to tobacw smoke, possibly in combiiation with occupational expasure to asbestos fibres.

Effet of occtqmtioti.4 air pollutanb on variot~ bist&&al typep of lung cancer: A population based asceontrol study Becher H, Jahychowski W, WahreadorfJ, Basa-Cierpielek 2, Flak E, Gomoh K. Gennrm CanmRcsearch Cetwe. IAsrirurcofEpidemiology/ Biometry, Im Neuenhcimder Feki 2&W, 6900 Heidelberg. Br J hd t&d 1993;50: 136-42

A population based use-control study wan performed in Cracmv, Poland. to determine the effect of ownpationaI air pollutants on various histological types of lnng cancer. Male cases end controls were identified from tbe Cracow Death Register. Information was obteined by mailed qnestionnaire from next of kin on smoking, occuptionel bmoch,occupptionrle~posuns,Mdotberpertinentveriebles. Response rates were 73.5% in casea and 72.0% in controls. For cases that underwent P bronchial biopsy or surgical excision the histological diagnosis of the tunmur was obtained fmm clinical records. The case group contained 343 subjects with squamous cell carcinomes, 15 1 with small cell carcinomes, end 106 with adencarcinomas. Twenty seven cases showed other histologicel types (large cell carcinoma end not classifiable). Analysis was performed separately by histological type for occupational exposure variables adjusted for smoking. Long 1e.m

exposune lo mineral dust end metal dust (20 years or more) wes found to bee significant risk factor for small cell and squamous cell carcinoma. The effect was more pronounced if the analysis was restricted to those agedlessthPn70yeprs.‘Ihehigbestreletiveridc(RR)duetooccupptionel exposures was found for squamous cell carcinoma and exposure to mineral dust for more than 20 years (RR = 2.45995% CI 1.43410). The estimated effect of mineral dust on small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinome was smaller (RR = 2.29,95% CI 1.164.53 and RR = 2.04,95% Cl 0.89-4.64 respectively). The effect of metal dust end fumes seemed about the same for sqoamous and small cell carcinoma. No specific agent could be identified as particulerly important for a specific histological type; it rather seemed that the effects of the substances considered were similar for lung cancers in general.

A prospective study of cigarette tar yield and lung cancer Sidney S, Tekawa IS, Friedman GD. Division of Research, Kaiser PennanenteMed. Care Program. 34Sl Piedmont Avenue. Oakland, CA 9461I. Ceocer Causes Control 1993;4:3-10

We examined the relationship of cigarette tar yield end other cigarette-usage characteristics in current smokers to tbe incidence of lung cancer in P study population of 79,946 Kaiser Pernxmente Medical Care Program members, aged 30-89 years. who completed P detailed, self-administered, smoking-habit qnestionneire during the years 1979 through 1985. Mean length of follow-up was 5.6 years. There were 302 incident lung cancers, ofwhich 89 percent occurred incurrent or former smokers. The tar yield of the current cigarette brand was nnwociated with lung cancer incidence (relative risk [RR] = 1.02 per 1 mg tar-yield in men, 95 percent confidence interval [Cl] = 0.98-1.05; RR = 0.99, CI = 0.96-1.03 in women). However, in long-term (>20 years) smokers, the risk of lung cancer wes dewased in women who had

smoked filtered cigarettes for 20 or more years relative to lifelong smokers of unfiltered cigarettes (RR = 0.36, CI = 0.1 E-0.75), but not in me0 who bad smoked filtered cigarettes for 20 or more years (RR = 1.04. Cl = 0.58-1.87).

Lung cancer: Worldwide variation in oceunence and proportion attributable to tobacco use Par-kin DM, Sasco AJ. Int. AgencyforResearch on Cancer, IS0 Cows Albe1?-l71omar. 69372Lyon Ceder&% Lung Cancer(Ireland) 1993;9: l- 16.

Gut of 660,500 new cases of lung cancer in the world in 1980,76 % (84% of cazes in men, and 46% in women) can be attributed to tobacco smoking. Thus. the frequency of lung cancer in different regions is directly related to the prevalence and duration of smoking in the population. Both the number of cases, end the proportion due to smoking will increase for several decadesat least. Thesmallerperceotage attributable to smoking in women is mainly due to their much lower exposuretotobacco. Innon-smokerslungc~ncer(palticularlysqu~mous cell cancers) also seems to be less frequent in women then men, possibly because of an excess of other causative exposures (particularly occupational) in men. Chinese women have relatively high rates of lung cancer which cannot be explained by tobacco smoking alone.

Migration to towns, occupation, smoking, and lung cancer: Experience fmm the Finnish-Nonve&m lung cancw study Tealwen L. Department ofPublic Healfh, Uniwnity of Tampere. P. 8. 607.33101 Tampere. Cancer Causes Control 1993;4:133-41.

A total of 4,604 men who were interviewed in Finlend in 1962 in C~ionwithrheFionisb-No~egilluag- study were followed- up for lung cancer during 1963-87 to establish why urbanized (via migration) men who smoked had P greeter lung-cancer risk then native urban smokers. Exposure to occupational carcinogens was inferred from the title of the longest job held. A clear dose-response relation behveen occupetional exposure end long cancer was fonnd in the urbanirsd but not among the native urban dwellers. The extre risk associated with migration to towns end smoking was found especially by those urbanized subjects who worked in heavily exposed industries: their long cancer risk was more then hvice thet of native when men in similarjobs. while those urbanized subjects in academic or clerical jobs showed no increased risk when cornpad with native urban men in corresponding work. Cardiorespiratory symptoms bad P prognostic value in every residential group, but especially smong the urbanized. Urbenized men who smoked end worked in heavily exposed industries. end suffered from shortness of breath, had e fourfold risk of long cancer when compared with native urban smokers without this symptom. We conclude the1 although the joint effect of smoking end occupational exposure is the mein explanatory factor for high risk of lung cancer in orb&d males, environmentalendpsychosocial factorsalso may have a contributory effect.

Lung cancer mortality among a cohort of male chromate pigment workers in Japan Krmo K, Horikewa M. Ulstutomiya T, Tati M. Satoh K, t’amaguchi S. Inrriture of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba. Tsukuba. Inr J Epidemiol 1993;22:16-22

In 1975, tive manufacturers of chromate pigment in Japan were examined in a study of the carcinogenicily of chromates. These companies were producing lead chromate, zinc chromate, molybdate orange and/or strontium chromete. The current study covers B cohort of 666 workers involved in the manufacture of chromete pigment for at least I year behveen 1950 and 1975. The workers were followed up for 15-40 years, until 1989. Many previous reports have found an excess long cancer risk among workers involved in the manufachwe of chromate pigments and chromate chemicals. In the current study, subjectswereclPFsifiedonthebnsisofyeprsworked,yePrsofobservation, characteristics of company, type of work engaged in for the longest period of time, end involvement in the manufacture of zinc chromate. Mortality was compared with that of all Japanese males by means of the person-year method. The route of exposure was primarily inhalation