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RECORD NUMBER: 44 OF 66

Main Title Micronuclei in Epithelial Cells from Sputum of Uranium Workers.
Author Loomis, D. P. ; Shy, C. M. ; Allen, J. W. ; Saccomanno., G. ;
CORP Author Health Effects Research Lab., Research Triangle Park, NC. ;North Carolina Univ. at Chapel Hill. Dept. of Epidemiology. ;Saint Mary's Hospital and Medical Center, Grand Junction, CO.;National Cancer Inst., Bethesda, MD.
Publisher c1990
Year Published 1990
Report Number EPA/600/J-90/507;
Stock Number PB91-199935
Additional Subjects Sputum ; Micronucleus tests ; Epithelium ; Uranium ores ; mining ; Occupational exposure ; Radon ; Daughter products ; Smoking ; Mutagens ; Cells(Biology) ; Biological markers ; Reprints ;
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Status
NTIS  PB91-199935 Some EPA libraries have a fiche copy filed under the call number shown. 07/26/2022
Collation 10p
Abstract
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. Subjects 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. The prevalence of cells with MN was determined by scoring one sputum specimen for each worker. Data obtained by interview were used to classify exposure to radon progeny and smoking at the time sputum specimens were taken. Underground miners were considered exposed to radon progeny, and others were considered unexposed. Neither 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. The effects of radon and smoking were not confounded by each other or by age, and there was no evidence of synergy between exposures. The 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.