[Incidence and physicians' registration of assumed occupational lung cancer in Norway]

About 20% of al lung cancers among men are attributable to occupational exposure. During the years 1991 through 1993, Norwegian doctors reported 161 (4.6%) of 3.510 incidents of cancer in Norwegian men to the Labour Inspection as probably caused by occupational exposure. The proportion of such assumed occupational lung cancer cases varied with geographical region from 0.7% to 6.7%. Notification of an occupational cancer can be justification for economic benefits to the patient and his/her family. The most common assumed causes of the 161 cases notified as occupational lung cancers were asbestos dust exposure (148 cases), exposure to nickel (21 cases), and exposure to stone dust containing crystalline silica (18 cases). The predominating occupations of the patients at the time of the assumed carcinogenic exposure were machinist, industrial worker in metallurgical or chemical industry, mechanic, or metal worker (metal sheet worker, welder).