Cancer risk among Finnish food industry workers

Abstract

Occupational cancer risks suggested among food industry workers are inconclusive. The objective of our study was to assess associations between different cancers and working in the food industry in Finland. The carcinogenic exposures are mainly inhalatory, and we were therefore interested in respiratory cancers in particular. We followed up a cohort of all economically active Finns born between 1906 and 1945 for 30 million person-years during 1971-95. The 1970 Census data on occupations were linked with data on subsequent incident cancer cases. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each occupation using the economically active population as the reference. A total of 2,526 incident cancer cases were observed. Elevated risks were observed among male food industry workers for pancreatic (SIR 5 1.50, CI 5 1.13-1.96) and kidney cancers (1.51, 1.16-1.94). With respect to specific occupations, there was an excess of lung cancer among female bakers (1.38, 1.01-1.85) and laryngeal cancer among male grain millers (2.60, 1.05-5.36). Occupational exposure is unlikely to be a major risk factor for cancer among Finnish workers employed in typical food industry occupations. ' 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Key words: cancer; food industry; occupational exposureThe food industry covers a series of industrial activities involving processing, conversion, preparation, preservation and packaging of foodstuffs. The raw materials used are generally of vegetable or animal origin and produced by farming, breeding and fishing. Respiratory disorders, skin diseases and contact allergies, hearing impairment and musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common occupational health problems in the food industry.

Occupation and risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancer: The ARCAGE study

“…Most, if not all, previous studies on UADT cancer did not analyze dairy workers separately. In a Finnish cohort study on cancer risk among food industry workers, the risk was increased by 30% for laryngeal cancer (three cases) and by 100% for esophageal cancer (three cases) 45. Cohort studies of farmers including a large proportion of diary farmers do not reveal an increased risk of UADT cancer 46–48…”

Lung cancer risk among bakers, pastry cooks and confectionary makers: the SYNERGY study

“…Flour dust and moulds in grains and dust have been suggested as possible carcinogenic agents in bakeries 5 11. In addition, bakers can be exposed to fumes from the baking process, which includes heating of ovens and baking of food.…”

“…However, the published evidence is inconsistent with respect to sex-specific risks or the definition of baker as a job title 4 5. In addition, the interpretation of these studies has been hampered by possible sources of bias, including inability to control for smoking behaviour and/or simultaneous exposure to other occupational lung carcinogens.…”

Environmental and Occupational Causes of Cancer: New Evidence 2005-2007

“…In a second cohort study of Rocketdyne/ Rockwell/ Boeing workers, a significant increased risk of kidney cancer among employees exposed to high levels of TCE (RR=4.90) was observed and the test for a dose-response trend was also significant. 10 Additional studies examining specific occupations and risk of kidney cancer found excess mortality associated with computer manufacturing among both men and women, 35 elevated f HR=hazard ratio risk among male food industry workers, 58 and suggestive increased risk among sawmill workers based on dermal exposure to pentachlorophenol. 59 Leukemia-Studies continue to indicate that exposure to some pesticides increases the risk of leukemia.…”

“…Grain millers were found to have an increased risk of laryngeal cancer in a study of Finnish food industry workers. 58 Lung Cancer-Evidence regarding risk of lung cancer associated with pesticides continued to emerge primarily from analyses of the Agricultural Health Study. In one analysis, lung cancer risk significantly increased with increasing levels of exposure to the banned organochlorine pesticide, dieldrin, among pesticide applicators; an association was also found in an earlier analysis of this cohort study.…”