Male cancer mortality by occupation: 1973-86.

AIM

To identify male occupational groups with increased risk of death from cancer in 1973-86.

METHOD

Age and social class standardised mortality ratios were calculated for males 15-64 years for all cancers combined and for site specific cancers by occupational group.

RESULTS

In general, higher socio-economic groups had a lower all cancer mortality and lower socio-economic groups a higher mortality. After standardisation for age and social class, mortality ratios were increased for lung cancer in bricklayers and carpenters (SMR = 125; 95% CI: 110-141), machine tool operators (SMR = 218; 95% CI: 131-342), and welders (SMR = 140; 95% CI: 120-161), with the first group also having an increased risk for pleural mesothelioma (SMR = 222; 95% CI: 70-522). Malignant melanoma risk was increased in clerical workers (SMR = 147; 95% CI: 106-199) and not in outdoor occupations. Colon cancer mortality risk was increased in managers (SMR = 125; 95% CI: 104-148), and woodworkers (SMR = 147; 95% CI: 115-186). Stomach cancer mortality risk was raised for machine tool operators (SMR = 357; 95% CI: 128-782). Painters had an increased ratio for multiple myeloma (SMR = 352; 95% CI: 140-729) and machine tool operators an increase for leukaemia (SMR = 172; 95% CI: 45-446).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of routinely collected data to examine cancer mortality by occupation is a useful method to identify groups with increased risks and provide information for hypothesis generation. Further research may be warranted to investigate lung and digestive cancers in woodworkers and machine tool operators, and cancer of the haemopoietic and lymphatic systems in painters and machine tool operators.