OCCUPATIONAL PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS, AND RISKS OF 15CANCER SITES IN TURKEY

A multiple-site case-control study of 15 cancers (stomach; colon; rect um; larynx; lung; melanoma; skin; female breast; male breast; cervix; ovary; uterus; prostate; testis; and bladder) was conducted to evaluat e their association with occupational physical activity and socioecono mic status (SES). A hospital-based study population (3,486 male cases and 379 female cases, and 2,127 male and 244 female controls) was esta blished in an oncological treatment center in Istanbul, Turkey, from 1 979-84. Assessment of physical activity and SES was based on job title s held by the study subjects. Two measures of physical activity were d eveloped based on energy expenditure and 'sitting time' during working hours. Observed risks were adjusted for age, smoking, and SES. Elevat ed risks were observed among workers who held sedentary jobs for cance rs of the colon (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6), rectum (OR = 1.3), melanoma ( OR = 1.9), male breast (OR = 1.4), prostate (OR = 5.0), and ovary (OR = 2.0). Cancers of the cervix and uterus showed significantly decreasi ng risks with decreased activity. Risks of cancers of the colon, rectu m, larynx, ovary, and melanoma were enhanced after risks for physical activity indices were adjusted for SES, while the associations between physical activity and cancers of the prostate, cervix, and uterus wer e weakened after SES adjustment. Risks of melanoma rose significantly with both activity indices after SES adjustment. The results of this s tudy support previously reported associations between physical activit y and cancers of the colon and rectum observed in developed countries, and provide additional evidence for cancers of the larynx, prostate, cervix, uterus, and melanoma, and point out the importance of SES in e valuation of physical activity and cancers of the colon, rectum, laryn x, prostate, breast, cervix, and melanoma in developing countries.