Mortality among workers receiving compensation awards for silicosis in Ontario 1940-85.

The mortality experience of 1190 miners and 289 surface industry workers receiving workers' compensation awards for silicosis in Ontario since 1940 has been studied up to mid-1985. Both groups were found to have a significantly increased mortality from lung cancer (miners' SMR: 230; surface workers' SMR: 302) and stomach cancer (miners' SMR: 188; surface workers' SMR: 366). Adjustment for smoking and country of origin did not explain the excesses observed. The lung cancer findings are consistent with observations from silicosis registries in Europe. Possible explanatory factors are discussed.