Mortalidad por cáncer en los mineros del mercurio

García Gómez, Montserrat; Boffetta, Paolo; Caballero Klink, José Diego; Español, Santiago; Gómez Quintana, Javier; Colin, Didier

doi:10.1157/13106803

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Resumen

Objetivos

Analizar la mortalidad por cáncer en una cohorte de mineros del mercurio.

Métodos

Estudiamos la mortalidad por cáncer de 3.998 mineros expuestos a mercurio de Minas de Almadén y Arrayanes, S.A. El período de seguimiento comprendió desde 1895 hasta 1994. Se determinó el estado vital y la causa básica de defunción. Se calcularon las razones de mortalidad estandarizadas (RME) según la edad, el sexo y el período de calendario. Las muertes esperadas se obtuvieron de las tasas específicas españolas.

Resultados

Se determinó el estado vital del 92% de los trabajadores: 1.786 estaban vivos en 1994 (49%), 1.535 habían muerto (42%) y de 327 no pudo conocerse el estado vital (8%). La mortalidad por cáncer fue significativamente menor de la esperada (RME de 0,72; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 0,63-0,82), y se encontró el déficit principalmente en los cánceres de colon y vejiga. Se encontró un pequeño exceso en la mortalidad por cáncer de hígado, para el que se registraron 20 muertes, mientras se esperaban 17. La mortalidad por cáncer de pulmón y del sistema nervioso central fue prácticamente igual a la esperada; la mortalidad por cáncer de riñón fue menor de la esperada. Se observó una tendencia positiva en la mortalidad por todos los tipos de cáncer con la duración de la exposición.

Conclusiones

Esta investigación aporta evidencias adicionales de la ausencia de un aumento sustancial del riesgo de cáncer en los trabajadores expuestos al mercurio inorgánico.

Palabras clave:

Cáncer

Mercurio inorgánico

Cohorte

Exposición laboral

Abstract

Objectives

To analyze cancer mortality in a cohort of mercury miners.

Methods

Cancer mortality in 3,998 workers exposed to mercury in Minas de Almadén y Arrayanes S.A. was studied. The follow-up period was from 1895 to 1994. Vital status and the basic cause of death, in the case of fatalities, were determined. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) by age, sex and calendar period were calculated. Expected deaths were obtained from age, sex and calendar period specific rates for the Spanish population.

Results

The vital status of 92% of the workers could be assessed. At the end of the follow-up period, 1,786 workers were alive in 1994 (49%), 1,535 were dead (42%) and the status of 327 could not be determined (8%). Cancer mortality was significantly lower than expected, with an SMR of 0.72 (95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.82), mainly due to lower than expected mortality from colon and bladder cancer. Deaths from liver cancer were slightly higher than expected (20 deaths vs. 17 expected). Deaths from lung and central nervous system cancers were as expected, while mortality from kidney cancer was lower than expected. A positive trend in mortality from all types of cancer was observed, associated with exposure duration.

Conclusions

This study provides additional evidence of the absence of an increased risk of cancer in workers exposed to inorganic mercury.

Key words:

Cancer

Inorganic mercury

Cohort

Occupational exposure

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