ABSTRACT
In Taiwan, a 1985 ecologic study found lung cancer SMRs of 3.20 (men) (95% CI = 2.86-3.54; P < 0.001) and 4.13 (women) (95% CI = 3.60-4.66; P < 0.001) (Chen et al. 1985). For men and women combined, the SMR was 3.52 (95% CI = 3.24-3.83; P < 0.001) (Table 1). From a 1986 case-control study of the same region, one can calculate OR = 2.93 (95% CI = 1.48-5.82; P = 0.001) among the highest exposure group who had been exposed for more than 40 years (Chen et al. 1986). Similarly, a 1998 northern Chile ecologic study found lung cancer SMR = 3.80 (95% CI = 3.49-4.13; P < 0.001) (Smith et al. 1998), while for a later year 2000 case-control study, one can calculate a lung cancer OR = 5.16 (95% CI = 2.63-10.11; P < 0.001) for the highest exposure group who consumed 200-999 ug/L arsenic (Ferreccio et al. 2000).
