After inhalative occupational exposure to certain compounds containing
nickel and
chromium (mostly over many years), an accumulation of these metals may occur in the lung tissue. This is of particular importance, both from a toxicological point of view and with regard to expert reports, since certain
nickel and
chromium compounds may induce
lung cancers. In the context of this study, samples of pulmonary tissue from 34 deceased persons from the Bergen area (Norway) were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry with regard to their content of
chromium and
nickel. The deceased comprised 21 men and 13 women. In 15 cases, death resulted from
lung cancer; in the other 19 deceased, there was no indication of a malignant disease of the airways. The concentrations of
nickel found in the lung tissue do not differ between patients with
lung cancer and patients with healthy lungs. On the other hand, the concentration of
chromium in the pulmonary tissue in the patients who had died of
lung cancer and who had all been inhalative smokers, are higher (statistically significant) than in the nonsmokers or in those with healthy lungs. An accumulation of these two metals in the
tumor matrix could not be detected. Both the average
nickel and the average
chromium concentrations were higher in the persons who had probably been exposed occupationally. Considering the present state of scientific knowledge, the aspects relevant to expert reports which result from the analyses of metals in the pulmonary tissue are discussed.