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"Hot Spots" of Chromium Accumulation at Bifurcations of Chromate Workers' Bronchi¹

Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute [Y. I., T. K., H. S., E. T.], Department of Chest Surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital [K. N., Y. S.], 1-37-1 Kami-ikebukuro, Toshimaku, Tokyo 170, and Hirano Kameido Himawari Clinic [T. H.], Koto-ku, Tokyo 136, Japan

To investigate the mechanisms underlying respiratory tract carcinogenesis in chromate workers, we measured the concentration of chromium in samples of tissues from 50 bronchial bifurcations and other bronchial tissue obtained at autopsy, or during surgical procedures, from 9 exchromate workers known to be at risk of developing lung cancer. The mean duration of exposure was 21 years and the average time between cessation of exposure and death/surgery was 15 years. The area of the tissue samples was measured by image analysis and the chromium concentration determined by neutron activation analysis. Chromium concentrations ranged from 0.04 to 39 x 10^-10 g/µm tissue thickness/mm² and in 80% of the cases the concentrations were greater at bifurcations than in neighboring epithelial tissue. The mean concentration ratios between bifurcations and adjacent areas were 1.5 (n = 1) in the trachea, 3.0 (n = 9) in the main bronchi, 3.6 (n = 22) in lobar bronchi, and 10.9 (n = 3) in subsegmental bronchi. Our results demonstrated long-term retention of chromium in the bronchial walls of chromate workers and also that chromium concentrations were higher at airway bifurcations than elsewhere, thus providing solid evidence for a deposition "hot spot" concept.

¹ Supported partly by the Visiting Researchers' Program, Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 10/19/93. Accepted 2/23/94.

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