Melanoma is the second most common cancer, after testicular cancer, in males in the U.S. Navy. A wide range of occupations with varying exposures to sunlight and other possible etiologic agents are present in the Navy. Person-years at risk and cases of malignant melanoma were ascertained using computerized service history and inpatient hospitalization files maintained at the Naval Health Research Center. A total of 176 confirmed cases of melanoma were identified in active-duty white male enlisted Navy personnel during 1974-1984. Risk of melanoma was determined for individual occupations and for occupations grouped by review of job descriptions into three categories of sunlight exposure: (1) indoor, (2) outdoor, or (3) indoor and outdoor. Compared with the U.S. civilian population, personnel in indoor occupations had a higher age-adjusted incidence rate of melanoma, i.e., 10.6 per 100,000 (p = .06). Persons who worked in occupations that required spending time both indoors and outdoors had the lowest rate, i.e., 7.0 per 100,000 (p = .06). Incidence rates of melanoma were higher on the trunk than on the more commonly sunlight-exposed head and arms. Two single occupations were found to have elevated rates of melanoma: (1) aircrew survival equipmentman, SIR = 6.8 (p less than .05); and (2) engineman, SIR = 2.8 (p less than .05). However, there were no cases of melanoma or no excess risk in occupations with similar job descriptions. Findings on the anatomical site of melanoma from this study suggest a protective role for brief, regular exposure to sunlight and fit with recent laboratory studies that have shown vitamin D to suppress growth of malignant melanoma cells in tissue culture. A mechanism is proposed in which vitamin D inhibits previously initiated melanomas from becoming clinically apparent.
Leukemia is the fourth most commonly occurring cancer in the United States population between the ages of 17 and 34 years, an age group heavily represented in the US Navy. Historical computerized military career records maintained at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, were used to determine person-years at risk (total, 4,072,502 person-years) by demographic characteristics and occupation for active-duty naval personnel during 1974-1984. Computerized inpatient medical records were searched for first hospitalizations for leukemia. Cases of leukemia (n = 102) were verified by using pathology reports or Navy Medical Board or Physical Evaluation Board findings. For comparisons, age-adjusted incidence rates and standardized incidence ratios were calculated by using rates for the US population provided by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute. The overall age-adjusted incidence rate of leukemia in active-duty naval personnel was found to be very close to that of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program population (6.0 vs. 6.5 per 100,000 person-years). Only one occupation, electrician's mate, emerged with a borderline statistically significant excess risk of leukemia (standardized incidence ratio compared with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program population = 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.0-5.0). This finding is intriguing in the light of several studies showing an excess risk of leukemia associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields.
Mhs study describes types and frequencies of Diseases and Non-Battle Injuries (DN2I) that occurred in a sample population of U.S. Navy and Mazine Corps personnel deployed to Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War. Data were collected at two U.S. Navy mobile field hospitals set up in northenSuiAabadrn h seven mnonths of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. A Medical Encounster Data Sheet (MEDS) was used to capture pertinent mcdical information duri;ng individual ptient *isits. The MEDS form is a modified version of an instrument used in earlier studies of DNBI duig pecetimne. Cornpleed MEDS * forms were forwarded to the Naval Health Research Center in San Dim,~wel~ywac oded and the data entered into a computer file for analysis.Frequencies were computed for each of the major illness and injury categories defined in the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD.9). T he highest number of visits were for "Injuries and Posnn "followed by "Diseases of the Respiratory System." These findings are consistent with eaktier studies of DNBI among U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel under peacetime conditions.Thd MEDS form proved usefu as a means of documenting medical treatment information from i:e.,loyed units. This data collection procedure, if used routively by all deployed medical units during a conflict, could not only poievaluable infomnation to medical planners f~~r use during fufure conflicts but could also rveuscfil w-locauing problem area where immediat rvevnwAtive health care meaasures w ldbe effective.
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