A case-control study of 374 patients with primary epithelial cancers of the oral cavity, oro- and hypopharynx, and larynx is reported, the controls being patients with selected other cancers, matched for age and sex. Of all eligible patients, 93% were interviewed. Increased risks were seen with alcohol consumption and, less strongly, with smoking, which for all sites could be adequately fitted by either a multiplicative or an additive model. However, the site-specific relationships were different, alcohol consumption being significantly associated only with oral cavity, pharyngeal and extrinsic laryngeal tumours, and smoking only with intrinsic laryngeal tumours. Increased risks were associated with low socio-economic status, the unmarried state, and poor dental care. No significant associations were seen with specific occupational exposures.

Summary In a case-control study of 84 multiple myeloma patients and 168 age-and sex-matched controls with tumours at other sites, reported prior allergies were associated with an elevated risk of myeloma (RR = 3.1, P<0.001). In addition, more myeloma patients than controls reported prior myxoedema (RR= 5.0 Incidence rates for multiple myeloma in British Columbia are 3.4 and 2.2 per 100,000 in males and females respectively (B.C. Ministry of Health, 1976). A recent study has indicated that the incidence has been increasing over the last 30 years (Velez et al., 1983). The highest reported incidence in the world is in U.S. black males (Waterhouse et al., 1976). Several occupational risks have been demonstrated, with Milham showing elevated mortality for myeloma among farmers, woodworkers, smeltermen and forgemen (Milham, 1976). Several studies have shown nuclear workers to be at high risk for myeloma (Dolphin, 1976;Lewis, 1963;Cuzick, 1981).Schafer and Miller in a study of 153 patients showed elevated risks of prior biliary disease and peptic ulcer in patients with IgA myeloma when compared to patients with all other myeloma types (Schafer & Miller 1979), and Allen found an elevated frequency among myeloma patients of individuals with group A blood (Allen, 1970). Familial occurrence of myeloma has been reported in spouses (Kyle et al., 1976) and in blood relatives (Maldonado & Kyle 1974 C) The

A total of 512 breast cancer patients and 540 controls were compared to examine the risk factors for different categories of breast cancer as defined by age, menopausal status and estrogen receptor (ER) tumor status. Significant differences were found by menopausal status, for age at first birth and age at menarche for all women, and for age at first birth and family history for women between 45 and 54 years old. No significant differences were found with ER status alone; however there was a significant difference between ER status and body weight in premenopausal women; the above significant differences with menopausal status were not found when stratified by ER tumour status. These findings support the hypothesis for aetiological differences for pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer and suggest that ER tumour status may influence the risk associated with body weight.

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