The cohort consisted of 1,489 Finnish female physical education and 8,560 language teachers born after 1920 and alive in 1967. The 2 study populations were similar in social class and way of living and clearly discordant in physical activity both during their university studies and later in life. The incidence of breast cancer among these teachers up to the year 2000 was assessed through a record linkage with the Finnish Cancer Registry. The number of breast cancer cases among physical education teachers was 61 in 32,862 personyears and among language teachers was 404 in 177,188 person-years. In Poisson-regression analysis, the incidence rate ratio-adjusted for age, calendar time, number of children and age at first birth-for physical education vs. language teachers was overall 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.63-1.09). This relative rate was 0.79 (0.46 -1.36) in ages <50 years and 0.86 (0.62-1.18) in ages >50 years. Our study is concordant with the hypothesis that life-long physical activity may reduce the risk of breast cancer.

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SummaryStudy aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible association of pre-career magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and physical performance level with possible musculoskeletal disorders during jet flight training. Material and methods:The study group consisted of 73 fighter pilots who had undergone pre-career cervical and lumbar spine MRI. Physical performance of a subgroup of the pilots (n = 67) was measured initially at the same time and followed up to the fast jet training phase (ranging from 3.8 to 7.0 years). Musculoskeletal pain history during pilot training was taken from the medical charts. MRI findings and physical performance were associated with perceived clinical complaints during the follow-up. Results: 82% of the cervical and 92% of the lumbar spines showed abnormalities at at least one disk level. MRI did not reveal significant cervical degeneration. Thirteen disk bulges in the lumbar spine were discovered, while 5 pilots had listhesis and/or osteophyte formation on the spine (lumbar vertebra 4/sacroiliac joint level, L4-SI). 41% of the studied pilots suffered spinal symptoms during the follow-up, but only 16% and 17% of the cervical and lumbar MRI findings, respectively, were associated with subsequent symptoms. Endurance and strength levels were not, but lower body motor skills were, strongly (relative risk, RR 0.46) associated with a decreased number of flight-induced medical appointments in the early flight career. Conclusions: Minor MRI findings have no predictable value in the very early flight career. Nevertheless, versatile, skills/ power-oriented exercises before the flight career seem to be occupationally beneficial in reducing musculoskeletal disorders.