[Risks of malignant neoplasms in workers in Czechoslovak uranium mines]. / Riziko zhoubného bujení u pracovníku cs. uranových dolu.

The authors present a historical account on the findings which made it possible to define the most serious occupational disease in miners in uranium mines--bronchogenic carcinoma. In 1952-61 44 cases of lung cancer were reported in conjunction with radioactive substances, in 1962-85 already 1511 patients were recompensated. Z. Vích found in a prospective epidemiological survey that of 4803 workers who left for preventive reasons work places involving risk in 1968-75 20.5% died by 1985. The mortality rate from lung tumors was 3.5 times higher than in the male population of the Czech Republic. The authors analyze occupational risk indicators important for the prevention of this occupational disease. From the medical aspect the restriction of mining in uranium mines is welcome, as the work involves a high risk.

Cancer registry data: actuarial survival estimation in lung cancer patients.

Using the Kaplan-Meier method, actuarial survival data were estimated in cancer patients registered in the Cancer Registry of Health Institute of Uranium Industry during 1976-1983, and in those followed up for 3 years and longer after the initiation of their treatment. Due to the specificity of this registry, a more detailed analysis was feasible in 639 lung cancer men. The estimated probabilities of survival over 5 and 10 years respectively, were: In all lung cancers 0.10 and 0.08, in all Stage I and II lung cancers 0.24 and 0.20, of them in epidermoid carcinomas 0.31 and 0.25, in radically operated tumors 0.51 and 0.43, of them in epidermoid carcinomas 0.54 and 0.45 respectively. The results confirmed the principal importance of early diagnosis of bronchogenic cancer, especially of epidermoid carcinoma, at a resectable stage.

Lung carcinoma in uranium miners, Czechoslovakia, 1976-1980.

The analysis of the clinical data of uranium miners suffering from lung cancer in the years 1976-1980 was made. In 299 diseased men with lung cancer verified by histology and/or cytology the average age was 56.2 years. There were 52.8% of epidermoid carcinomas, 32.8% of small cell carcinomas, 5% of adenocarcinomas, and 9.4% of other, mixed, undifferentiated carcinomas. This distribution differed from those reported previously. In 25 survivors of 5 years (8.4%), there were 21 patients radically operated in the Stage I or II of the disease. In 84% of survivors the cancer was epidermoid. The lung cancer in uranium miners has not any proper characteristics excluding the age of diseased persons which is about 10-15 years lower than in current male population suffering from lung cancer.