Table 1.

Subjects’ profession, duration of asbestos exposure, smoking status, and type of malignancy

Profession	N	Mean age (yrs)	Mean exposure (yrs)	Exposure time range*	Smokers (%)	Mean pack-years	N with lung cancer (%)	N with mesothelioma (%)
Boilermaker	9	70	25	1936–1988	83	44	5 (56)	3 (33)
Brakes-mechanic	2	60	24	1943–1999	100	35	2 (100)	0
Bricklayer	3	58	30	1939–1980	67	33	2 (67)	0
Carpenter	5	69	31	1936–1989	100	59	4 (80)	1 (20)
Construction	3	67	21	1949–1986	100	30	2 (67)	1 (33)
Electrician	11	72	30	1939–1991	80	45	7 (64)	4 (36)
Insulator	9	72	24	1941–1996	100	26	3 (33)	5 (56)
Laborer	26	70	28	1940–1999	90	47	19 (73)	3 (12)
Machinist	7	63	22	1930–1995	100	56	4 (57)	3 (43)
Mason	5	64	24	1940–1996	75	62	4 (80)	1 (20)
Mechanic/maintenance	13	63	22	1936–2000	100	43	5 (38)	8 (62)
Millwright	4	68	25	1940–1982	100	46	3 (75)	1 (25)
Operator	11	69	34	1943–2000	100	51	9 (82)	1 (9)
Plumber/pipefitter	17	68	29	1936–1999	77	47	7 (41)	10 (59)
Shipyard	17	68	24	1939–2002	100	46	5 (29)	12 (71)
Sheetmetal	3	70	21	1935–1980	50	75	1 (33)	2 (67)
Steelworker	2	68	29	1943–1983	100	30	2 (100)	0
Welder	8	69	30	1943–1993	100	55	5 (63)	3 (38)
Laundry	11	51	18	1935–1993	14	50	0	11 (100)
Other	20	72	26	1947–1986	100	47	12 (60)	8 (40)
Total	186	68	27	1930–2002	88	46	101 (54)	77 (41)

Notes: The percentage of smokers is based on a total of 143 subjects for whom a smoking history was available.

^*Exposure time range is the range of years in which each group reported asbestos exposure – the vast majority reported significant exposure time before 1975. Totals are indicated in bold font.

Abbreviations: N, number of subjects; yrs, years.