ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND OCCUPATION IN A COHORT OF SWEDISH MEN

Using the Cancer Environment Registry of Sweden, which links the 1960 census information on employment with cancer incidence data from 1961- 1979, we conducted a systematic, population-based assessment of esopha geal cancer incidence by industry and occupation for men in Sweden. A general reduction in esophageal cancer incidence was found among agric ultural and professional workers, whereas excess incidence was found a mong business, sales, and some craftsmen and production jobs. Elevated incidence was associated with several specific industries, including the food (SIR = 1.3, p < 0.05), beverage and tobacco (SIR = 1.8, p < 0 .05) industries, vulcanizing shops within the rubber industry (SIR = 4 .7, p < 0.01), and certain automotive building industries. Incidence a lso was increased among brewery workers (SIR = 4.2, p < 0.01) and butc hers (SIR = 2.1, p < 0.01), and among individuals with certain service jobs, particularly waiters in the hotel and restaurant industry (SIR = 3.1, p < 0.01). Some of the occupational associations may be explain ed by lifestyle factors such as alcohol drinking and smoking, whereas others are specific and tend to support those of earlier investigation s. This study adds to the evidence of a small but possibly important r ole of occupation in esophageal cancer etiology. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.