ABSTRACT
More than a century ago, David Newman published a case report on a chrome pigment worker who suffered from carcinoma of the upper respiratory tract. This report (1) marked the beginnings of systematic research into the carcinogenicity of chromium compounds. Since then, a multitude of epidemiological studies have appeared. The link between inhalation of chromium(VI) compounds and the causation of cancers of the airways and lungs is now well established (2). Although neoplasms of the respiratory system are the most prominent effect of chromium(VI), other cancers have also been associated with exposure to these metal compounds (3).
