An historical cohort study of mortality among salaried research and development pensioners of the Allied Corporation.

An historical cohort study was conducted among salaried pensioners alive and receiving benefits on Dec 31, 1974, and followed for vital status through Dec 31, 1980. For all causes combined, this cohort experienced mortality levels at or below that of the US population. For all malignant neoplasms combined, workers with plant experience only showed a statistically significant excess (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] = 1.34). This may have been largely due to a significant excess of lung cancer in the same group (SMR = 1.90). Individuals with some plant experience exhibited a significant excess of lung cancer (SMR = 1.48). These findings were not detected among active workers in the same company. There were no causes of death for which the SMR deviated significantly from unity among individuals with research experience.