Occupational Exposures and Gastrointestinal Cancers Among Finnish Women

Abstract

A cohort including all female workers born 1906 through 1945 (n = 413,877) in Finland was identified through the Population Census of Finland of 1970. Incident cases of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract were explored during 1971 to 1995. Job titles in census records were converted to exposures of 31 occupational agents through a job-exposure matrix. For each agent, the product of level and probability of exposures was calculated and subdivided in three categories: zero, low and medium/high. Poisson regression models estimated relative risks (RR) for each agent, standardized for birth cohort, follow-up period, and socioeconomic status. Adjustment at job title level was done for alcohol use for cancers of the esophagus and liver and smoking for pancreatic cancer. The results showing either statistically significant RR at the medium/high level of exposure (RRH) or statistically significant trend (P < 0.05) over the exposure categories were considered as positive findings. Colon cancer risk (2009 cases) was positively associated with sedentary work (RRH 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6; P trend 0.001) and negatively associated with perceived workload (P trend = 0.007). For stomach cancer (1881 cases), we observed an association with exposure to electromagnetic fields (RRH 1.44, 95% CI = 1.01-2.05) and man-made vitreous fibers (MMVF) (p trend 0.03). Rectal cancer (1323 cases) showed an association with chromium (RRH 1.9, 95% CI = 1.2-3.1) and oil mist (RR 2.0; 95% CI = 1.0-3.9). For pancreas cancer (1302 cases) we found associations with exposure to chromium (RRH 1.8; 95% CI = 1.0-3.1; P trend 0.01), electromagnetic fields (RRH 1.8; 95% CI = 1.2-2.8; P trend 0.02), and sedentary work (RRH 1.3; 95% CI = 1.0-1.7; P trend 0.05). We found no significant associations between any FINJEM agents and cancers of the esophagus (389 cases), liver (389 cases), and gallbladder (651 cases). Having examined the associations between seven cancer sites and over 30 exposures there exists the real possibility that some of the associations detected are chance findings. Therefore, the associations observed should need to be confirmed in other studies.

Leisure-Time Spent Sitting and Site-Specific Cancer Incidence in a Large U.S. Cohort

“…On the basis of the limited evidence available, it was concluded that sitting time was associated with higher colon and endometrial cancer risks. Although we did not observe an association with colon cancer, few previous studies have examined this association, and most previous studies reporting a positive association specifically examined television time (28,29) or occupational sitting (30)(31)(32)(33). While one of these studies (28) also reported an association with total sitting time, risk was greatly attenuated compared to risk associated with television watching.…”

Risk of liver cancer and exposure to organic solvents and gasoline vapors among Finnish workers

“…34 We saw no excess risk of liver cancer among women exposed to aliphatic/alicyclic, aromatic or chlorinated hydrocarbons; thus, confirming the result of a previous Finnish study on gastrointestinal cancers. 35 We did find an increased risk among women exposed to other solvents, including mainly alcohols, ketones, esters and glycol ethers. The numbers of highly exposed women were, however, small and the CIs of the estimates were wide.…”

Cancer after Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis

“…Chromium, which is found in some metallic implants, has been shown to induce prostatic tumors in rats (34), but this association has not been clearly seen in epidemiologic studies (35)(36)(37)(38)(39). Latency for metalassociated cancers is typically long, at least for occupational exposures (40), so the fact that an increased prostate cancer risk was seen within the first 5 years after the procedure suggests that the excess risk is probably not due to the prosthesis.…”