Mortality studies of aluminum reduction plant workers: potroom and carbon department.

The purpose of this study was to investigate mortality patterns of aluminum reduction plant workers. A cohort was formed of 21,829 workers with five or more years employment in 14 reduction plants. Progress of the study was reported quarterly to a Tripartite Committee consisting of representatives from labor, management and government. Although the results of other studies relative to an excess of lung cancer in aluminum workers were not confirmed, there were indications of a higher than expected mortality in pancreatic cancer, lymphohematopoietic cancers, genitourinary cancer, nonmalignant respiratory disease and benign and unspecified neoplasms.