You are here:
MICRONUCLEI IN EPITHELIAL CELLS FROM SPUTUM OF URANIUM WORKERS
Citation:
Loomis, D., C. Shy, J.W. Allen, AND G. Saccomanno. MICRONUCLEI IN EPITHELIAL CELLS FROM SPUTUM OF URANIUM WORKERS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-90/507 (NTIS PB91199935).
Description:
The exfoliated-cell micronucleus (MN) assay was used to assess cytogenetic effects of exposure to radon progeny and cigarette smoke among 99 Colorado plateau uranium workers. ubjects were selected at random from employees in underground and open-pit uranium mines, ore mills, laboratories, and offices participating in a sputum screening program from 1964-88. he prevalence of cells with MN was determined by scoring one sputum specimen for each worker. ata obtained by interview were used to classify exposure to radon progeny and smoking at the time sputum specimens were taken. nderground miners were considered exposed to radon progeny, and others were considered unexposed. either radon progeny exposure nor cigarette smoking had any appreciable effect on the prevalence of cells with MN; crude prevalence ratios were 1.0 (95% CI 0.7-1.4) and 0.9 (95% CE 0.6-1.3), respectively. he effects of radon and smoking were not confounded by each other or by age, and there was no evidence of synergy between exposures. hese findings appear to cast doubt on the epidemiological utility of a sputum-based MN assay for studies of other populations exposed to occupational or environmental lung carcinogens.
