CANCER INCIDENCE AMONG FINNISH FARMERS, 1979-93

A cohort of approximately 120,000 male and 85,000 female farmers regis tered in the Farm Register of Finland was followed-up for cancer incid ence through the Finnish Cancer Registry in 1979-93. Nearly 17,000 can cer cases were observed. Compared with the total cancer incidence of t he Finnish population, both genders experienced a 17 to 18 percent dec reased risk of cancer. The risks were low in smoking-related cancers, cancers associated with an urbanized way of life, and cancers inversel y associated with multiparity. The only cancer sites showing significa ntly raised standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were lip cancer (SIR= 1.51, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.35-1.66) and Hodgkin's d isease (SIR = 1.35, CI = 1.08-1.67) in males. Poisson regression was u sed in working out the roles of the size and type of farm after adjust ment for gender, age, and geographic location of the farm. Risk of Hod gkin's disease was highest in farms without animals (SIR = 1.74, CI = 1.12-2.59). Multiple myeloma was found in excess among farmers on pig or poultry farms but not on other types of farms.