Gastric cancer in a south Wales valley.

The most recent paper about gastric cancer in south Wales is that by Craven et al who covered the extensive publications on the subject, noting, for example, the pronounced social class relation and the high SMRs in certain occupational groups such as miners.1 They also discuss the paper by Stukonis and Doll, which suggests that hard work and a healthy appetite are more probable aetiological factors than specific occupational risks.2 The results of Craven et al, however, based mainly on cancer registration rates show miners with by far the highest registration rates for gastric cancer when compared with other occupations. There was, therefore, every reason to explore the hypothesis that exposure to coal dust might play a part in the aetiology of gastric cancer in Wales.