Effect of age at exposure in 11 underground miners studies

Eleven underground miners studies evaluated the risk of lung cancer from exposure in underground mines. Nearly 68,000 miners were included in the joint study, contributing to nearly 2700 lung cancers. The resulting model of the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Committee considered linear exposure response relationship, which was modified by time since exposure (TE), attained age and exposure rate. The effect of age at exposure (AE) was not explicitly evaluated. The presentation aims to show that the modifying effect of AE is substantial if time-since-exposure modification is simultaneously used in the model. When the excess relative risk per unit exposure (ERR/WLM) is adjusted for TE, the ERR/WLM corresponding to AE<15 is 0.013 and in subsequent categories decreased gradually up to the AE of 40 and more years, which was only 0.004. In comparison with the BEIR VI model, the present model predicts higher risks at younger ages and the risk decreases more rapidly.