Respiratory cancers in mining.

The issue of carcinogenicity among mine workers and among workers in selected nonmining industries is examined. In the late 19th century, a high frequency of lung cancers was noted among metal miners in Bohemia, which probably related to their exposure to radon. Subsequently, other substances, including arsenic, asbestos, chromates, nickel, and chloroethers, have been linked causally to lung cancer. The IARC classification of substances as carcinogens is summarized, and the epidemiologic studies of humans employed in occupations with high rates of lung cancer due to carcinogen exposures are reviewed.