[Economic and occupational activities at an increased risk of mortality for lung tumors in Turin (1981-89) and in Italy (1981-82)].

In the framework of occupational disease surveillance program, based on integration of current information systems, the first Italian occupational mortality study was carried out. This paper reports on excess lung cancer risk by industry and occupation. The study population consists of subjects included in the Italian Cross-Sectional Study (STI) and in the Turin Longitudinal Study (SLT), both of which are surveys based on record-linkage procedures between census records and death certificates. The STI is a six-month follow-up of Italian residents at the 1981 census. The SLT is a prospective study of Turin residents at the 1981 census, followed for mortality up to 1989. Only persons aged 18-64 years at entry, and economically active, were eligible for the occupational mortality analysis (i.e. 15,734 deceased individuals out of 13 million subjects in the STI, and 435,608 individuals, among whom 10,789 deaths occurred, in the SLT). Information about job and economic activity recorded at census consisted of the Italian standard 1981 industry and occupation codes. Lung cancer relative risks by category of industry and job were estimated as mortality odds ratios (MOR) in the STI, and as observed to expected death ratios (SMR) in the SLT. Only excess risks based on > or = 3 observed cases and with p < 0.1, were included in the present report. Lung cancer mortality was increased in different industries and jobs. The excess risks found in the mechanic and transport industries are of particular interest in a public health perspective, due to the high number of Italian workers employed in these sectors. From an etiologic point of view, however, careful attention should be paid to the excess lung cancer risks among workers in the wood manufacturing industry, in meat preparation, and in nursing occupations, where detailed analytical studies of exposure profile and cancer risk are warranted.