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Major histopathological patterns of lung cancer related to arsenic exposure in German uranium miners

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Abstract

Objective

The mechanisms of action of arsenic in the development of lung cancer are still not yet elucidated. Considering the relationship between arsenic and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, we hypothesized that arsenic exposure may be more closely associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Methods

A comprehensive histopathological database and a detailed job-exposure matrix developed for former German uranium miners with exposure to arsenic, radon, and quartz were analyzed to quantitatively assess the effect of arsenic regarding cell type of lung cancer. The distributions of major lung cancer cell types in 1,786 German uranium miners were associated with levels of arsenic exposure under control for the other lung carcinogens. To evaluate the arsenic effects in association with a frequent occupational lung disease in miners stratification by silicosis was performed.

Results

There was an arsenic-related increase of the proportion of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung but restricted to miners without silicosis. The increase was found at all levels of co-exposure to radon and quartz dust. In miners with silicosis, the proportion of adenocarcinoma increased with rising arsenic exposure. Arsenic exposure was associated with non-small cell lung cancer. Silicosis turned out as major determinant of the cell type related with arsenic.

Conclusion

These results indicate a cell type characteristic effect of arsenic in the development of lung cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA, German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) for access to the Health Data Archive of the WISMUT corporation, the Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV) for access to the job-exposure matrix for ionizing radiation, quartz dust, arsenic exposure, and job history of WISMUT miners and the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) for the database developed for the Archive.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. BGFA—Research Institute of Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany

    Dirk Taeger, Georg Johnen, Thorsten Wiethege, Thomas Brüning & Beate Pesch

  2. Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Neuherberg, Germany

    Soile Tapio

  3. Institute of Radiation Biology, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany

    Soile Tapio

  4. Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Berlin, Germany

    Matthias Möhner

  5. Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany

    Horst Wesch

  6. Institute of Pathology, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Kliniken Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany

    Andrea Tannapfel & Klaus-Michael Müller

  7. BGFA—Forschungsinstitut für Arbeitsmedizin der DGUV, Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany

    Dirk Taeger

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  1. Dirk Taeger
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  2. Georg Johnen
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  9. Thomas Brüning
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  10. Beate Pesch
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Correspondence to Dirk Taeger.

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Taeger, D., Johnen, G., Wiethege, T. et al. Major histopathological patterns of lung cancer related to arsenic exposure in German uranium miners. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 82, 867–875 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0386-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0386-1

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