Effects of occupation on risks of avoidable cancers in the Nordic countries.

Knowledge of cancer risk according to occupational affiliation is an essential part of formatting preventive actions aimed at the adult population. Herein, data on 10 major cancer sites amenable by life style exposures from the Nordic Occupational Cancer Study (NOCCA) are presented. All subjects aged 30-64 years participating in one or more national censuses in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden between 1960 and 1990 were included in the cohort and followed up for cancer from inclusion until 2003/2005 via a linkage with the national cancer registries, and standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were computed. Variation in risk across occupations was generally larger in men than in women. In men, the most consistent cluster with high risk of numerous cancer types included waiters, cooks and stewards, beverage workers, seamen, and chimney sweeps. Two clusters of occupations with generally low cancer risks were seen in both men and women. The first one comprised farmers, gardeners, and forestry workers, the second one included groups with high education, specifically those in health and pedagogical work. Although cancer risk varies by occupation, only a smaller part of the variation can be attributed to occupational exposures in the strict sense. Preventive measures at the work place are important to avoid established and new occupational health hazards. This study also indicates that the work place in addition should be seen as a useful arena for reaching groups of adults with more or less similar habits and attitudes for general health promotion.

[Cancer incidence among Icelandic female industrial workers.].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the cancer incidence pattern among unskilled female industrial workers in Iceland reflects a social divergence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The design was that of a retrospective cohort study. The cohort comprised 13,934 women who contributed to a pension fund for industrial workers in Reykjavík during the period 1970-1997. The follow-up time was 1975-1997. The cancer cases were found by record linkage with the Cancer Registry, and the rates compared to those of the general female population with indirect standardisation. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated with and without 10 years lag-time, both for the cohort as a whole and after the study group had been restricted to those who had contributed to the pension fund any time after reaching 20 years of age. RESULTS: RESULTS showed an excess of lung cancer, both when lag-time was applied and not applied, and before and after restriction had been made. SIRs for cervix cancer, and cancers of the colon, bladder, brain, connective tissue, and for cancers of the hema-topoietic system were moderately elevated. There was an excess of cancer of corpus uteri, especially when 10 years lag-time was applied, both in the whole group (SIR 1.67), and in the restricted cohort (SIR 1.69), and among those with a long employment-time (SIR 1.79). No deficit was seen for breast cancer, whereas this was found for ovary cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The cancer pattern was in accordance with the results of other studies on women in this social category and indicates excessive smoking in the group. The excess of cancer of corpus uteri was unexpected. Because the group is burdened with various physical and chemical exposures at work, possible hazardous effects of these cannot be excluded.

[Causes of death and incidence of cancer in physicians and lawyers in Iceland]. / Dödsorsaker och cancer hos läkare och jurister på Island.

A retrospective study is accomplished in Iceland to study whether mortality and cancer incidence among male physicians (1,210) were lower than those among men of the general population and lawyers (1,032). Overall mortality among lawyers was similar to that of the general male population, however, mortality among the physicians was lower than that of the general population and the lawyers, due to lower mortality for all cancers (SMR 0.73), cerebrovascular diseases (SMR 0.53) and respiratory diseases (SMR 0.54). The physicians had higher mortality for suicide committed by drugs, solid or liquid substances. Cancer was not as frequent among the physicians as among the lawyers, particularly for lung cancer, the SIR was 0.45, but the rates were higher for cancer of the colon and brain among the physicians than among others.

[Mortality and cancer incidence among physicians and lawyers.].

OBJECTIVE: To study whether mortality and cancer incidence among male physicians were lower than those among men of the general population and lawyers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study is a retrospective cohort study, the cohort comprised all male physicians (1210) educated until 1933 who lived in Iceland 1951 or later. All male lawyers (1032) defined in the same way were taken as a comparison group. The follow-up was through mortality and cancer registry by record linkage and the rates compared to those of the general population with indirect standardisation. The standardised mortality ratios (SMSs) and the standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were compared between the groups. A special survey of the smoking habits of phycisians and lawyers was conducted on the data form the Heart Association, Hjartavernd, and the possible confounding on lung cancer incidence by smoking was estimated. RESULTS: Overall mortality among the lawyers was similar to that of the general male population, however, mortality among the physicians was lower than that of the general population and the lawyers, due to lower mortality for all cancers, stomach cancer, lung cancer, cerebrovascular diseases and respiratory diseases, the SMRs were: 0.73, 0.27, 0.44, 0.53 and 0.54 respectively. The physicians had higher mortality for suicide commited by drugs, solid or liquid substances, SMR 5.75. Cancer was not as frequent among the physicians as among lawyers, particularly for lung cancer, the SIR was 0.45. There were higher rates for cancer of the colon and brain among the physicians than among others, however the difference was only of a statistical significant for the colon cancer, SIR 1.93. Smoking was not as common among the physicians as among a sample of the population or the lawyers. CONCLUSIONS: Lower mortality among the physicians indicates a healthy lifestyle and they smoke less than the others. This could also mean that the physicians benefit from their education, they may soon get the right treatment if they fall ill. Cancers, particularly lung cancer were more rare among the physicians than among the others which could not solely be explained by fewer smokers among the physicians.