We found an increased risk of lung cancer in workers exposed to beryllium at all plants combined. We found 280 deaths, but expected 221.

The lung cancer excess was confined to workers hired in the 1940s and 1950s.

Among workers hired in the 1960s, the risk of lung cancer was noticeably lower than expected. We found 18 deaths from lung cancer and expected about 29.

We examined the effect of smoking and county of residence on lung cancer risk.

We concluded that these factors could not completely explain the increased lung cancer risk.

The study did not address the relationship of lung cancer to the degree of exposure or to specific types of beryllium compounds.

Another NIOSH Beryllium Study

Another NIOSH study, which looked at causes of death among 689 people who were reported to a national beryllium disease registry (the Registry Study), also found increased deaths from lung cancer. (203 people were included in both the workplace and the registry studies).

What Does This Mean?

The authors of the study and many scientists (including the International Agency for Research on Cancer) believe that most of the excess in lung cancer was due to beryllium exposure because:

* Smoking and county of residence did not completely explain the excess.

* Breathing in beryllium compounds causes lung cancer in some animals.

* The highest increase in lung cancer occurred many years after exposure began.

This is what we expected, since it takes a long time for cancers to develop.

Other scientists argue that part or all of the excess may have been due to other factors, including smoking or exposure to acid mists, uranium, and nickel. Chronic beryllium disease and lung cancer may develop many years after the last exposure to beryllium. Thus, you and your doctor should be aware that you might have an increased risk of developing these diseases.