BACKGROUND In 1997, a Monograph from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified occupational exposure to crystalline silica as carcinogenic to humans. Large amounts of epidemiological data have been published subsequently. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of epidemiological investigations on silica exposure and lung cancer risk published after the IARC Monograph...

Many of the grindstones used in Nigerian homes are quarried from sandstone in a small group of villages near Kano in the extreme north of the country. Of an unselected group of 126 stonecutters from two of these villages 49 were found to have radiographic evidence of silicosis, with progressive massive fibrosis in 17. Those with silicosis had worked longer in the quarries than 77 whose radiogra...

Silicosis patients not only suffer from respiratory disorders but also from autoimmune diseases. To clarify the mechanisms involved in the occurrence of the dysregulation of autoimmunity found in silicosis patients, we have been focusing on investigation of the Fas and Fas-related molecules in the Fas-mediated apoptotic pathway, since Fas is one of the most important molecules regulating autoim...

OBJECTIVE Silicosis is an untreatable but preventable occupational disease, caused by exposure to silica. It can progressively evolve to lung impairment, respiratory failure and death, even after exposure has ceased. However, little is known about occupational diseases-related interest at the level of scientific community, media coverage and web behavior. This article aims at filling in this ga...

OBJECTIVES To estimate excess lifetime risk of (a) mortality from lung disease other than cancer (LDOC), and, (b) onset of radiographic silicosis, arising from occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust. METHODS Data from a cohort of California diatomaceous earth mining and processing workers exposed to crystalline silica dust (mainly as cristobalite) were reanalyzed with Poi...

BACKGROUND The term crystallized silica refers to the crystallized form of Sio2 and quartz, the most frequency composition in the earth's crust that can cause silicosis and lung cancer through occupational exposure and inhalation of its large quantities. METHODS Occupational exposure of workers in Pakdasht, Iran, in 2011 was investigated in four different casting processes in small foundries ...

Free silica (silicon dioxide) is naturally found in amorphous and crystalline forms in many rocks in the Earth . Inhaled silicon dioxide is usually crystalline and most often quartz which is the most important form. Silicosis is an irreversible disease that results from workrelated exposures to dusts containing silica crystals, and is characterized by fibrotic tissue reaction caused by the pres...

OBJECTIVE Occupational exposure to silica dust is associated with significant impairment of lung function. The present study investigates which pathological changes in the lung are associated with impairment of lung function in silica dust exposed workers who were life-long non-smokers. METHODS 242 South African white gold miners who were lifelong non-smokers and who had a necropsy at death w...

Silicosis is a systemic disease caused by inhaling silicon dioxide (SiO2). Phagocytosis of SiO2 in the lungs initiates an inflammatory cascade that results in fibroblast proliferation and migration followed by fibrosis. According to previous data from our laboratory, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) plays a critical role in fibroblast proliferation and migration in conventional two-dimens...

BACKGROUND Lung cancer mortality has been found to be in excess in several groups with silicosis, but allowance for smoking was not always possible. We investigated the lung cancer mortality in men with silicosis in New South Wales, Australia, who were compensated, making allowance for smoking habits. METHODS A mortality study of 1467 men with silicosis in New South Wales who were compensated...