OCCUPATION AND RISK OF GERM-CELL TESTICULAR CANCER BY HISTOLOGIC TYPEIN ONTARIO

Incidence of both major histologic subgroups of germ cell testicular c ancer, seminoma and nonseminoma, is increasing, but the etiology is la rgely unknown. Occupational clusters have been observed. In a case-con trol study in Ontario with 495 incident cases and 974 population contr ol subjects, jobs and industries were coded and analyzed. There is lit tle evidence of occupational risk for all cases or for seminoma. Signi ficantly increased risk of nonseminoma was associated with: miners (od ds ratio [OR] = 12.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.22 to 69.27), f ood and beverage processors (OR = 3.20; 95% CI, 1.39 to 7.35), utiliti es employees (OR 3.15; 95% CI, 1.15 to 8.61), and other service worker s (OR 1.05; 95% CI, 1.05 to 4.56). Leather-industry employees had elev ated risk of nonseminoma (OR = 4.60; 95% CI; 0.75 to 28.28) consistent with a bather tannery cluster. Increased risk of nonseminoma among so me workers can be explained if an additional event is required for con verting seminoma to nonseminoma.