Site-specific cancer mortality among workers involved in the production of high nickel alloys.

This report describes the cause-specific mortality patterns of 28 261 workers employed at 12 plants involved in the production of high nickel alloys during the late 1950s and 1960s and followed up to 31 December 1977. Findings for site-specific cancers that have previously been related to nickel exposures are: (1) Overall, no statistically significant increased risk has been observed for cancers of the lung, nasal sinuses, larynx or kidney. (2) When data were examined by occupational groupings, an excess risk of dying from cancers of the lung of about 25-50% for males employed in maintenance categories has been noted. It is unclear whether the greater risk is directly associated with nickel exposures, particularly since a similar excess is not found in other occupational groups where nickel exposures are also present. Two other cancer sites, liver and large intestine, not previously associated with nickel exposures in epidemiological studies, demonstrate a statistically significant standardized mortality ratio (SMR). The SMRs are 182 and 233 respectively, and observed increases in SMRs are found primarily among longer-term workers in the industry but are not concentrated in a particular work area or occupational category. No conclusion regarding a causal association with nickel has been drawn for these two sites at this time.