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Systematic review
Cancer and mortality in coal mine workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  1. Sheikh M Alif1,
  2. Malcolm R Sim1,
  3. Clarence Ho2,
  4. Deborah C Glass1
  1. 1 School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. 2 Monash University now at Mater Health, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Associate Professor Deborah C Glass, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; deborah.glass{at}monash.edu

Abstract

Coal mine workers are exposed to a number of workplace hazards which may increase the risk of cancer and mortality. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate cancer and mortality in coal mine workers We searched in Ovid Medline, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases using keywords and text words related to coal mines, cancer and mortality and identified 36 full-text articles using predefined inclusion criteria. Each study’s quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We performed random-effect meta-analyses including 21 of the identified articles evaluating cancer and/or mortality of coal mine workers. The meta-analysis showed an increased risk of all-cause mortality (SMR 1.14, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.30) and mortality from non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD) (3.59, 95% CI 3.00 to 4.30) in cohorts with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP). We found a somewhat increased risk of stomach cancer (1.11, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.35) and of mortality from NMRD (1.26, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.61) in the cohorts of coal miners with unknown CWP status. The meta-analysis also showed a decreased risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality among coal miners. This may be a result of the healthy worker effect and possible lower smoking rates, and perhaps also reflect the physically active nature of many jobs in coal mines. The meta-analysis for lung cancer did not show increased risk in coal miners with CWP (1.49, 95% CI 0.70 to 3.18) or for coal miners of unknown CWP status (1.03, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.18). Lower smoking rates in coal mine workers could explain why case–control studies where smoking was controlled for showed higher risks for lung cancer than were seen in cohort studies. Coal mine workers are at increased risk of mortality from NMRD but decreased risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality. Studies of coal mine workers need long-term follow-up to identify increased mortality and cancer incidence.

  • cancer
  • mortality
  • occupational health
  • coal mining
  • miners

https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2021-107498

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors SMA, MRS and DCG were involved in the concept, design and development of the study and the instruments. SMA and CH performed the database search. SMA and DCG screened the articles and extracted the data. SMA performed the meta-analyses. SMA and DCG drafted the manuscript and all authors provided critical input. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript for publication.

    • Funding This study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia partnership project grant scheme (APP1167709).

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.