RISK FOR PROSTATE-CANCER BY OCCUPATION AND INDUSTRY - A 24-STATE DEATH CERTIFICATE STUDY

Current knowledge of the etiology of prostate cancer is limited. Numer ous studies have suggested that certain occupations and industries may be associated with the occurrence of prostate cancer: Information on occupation and industry on death certificates from 24 states gathered from 1984 to 1993 was used in case control study on prostate cancer. A total of 60,878 men with prostate cancer as underlying cause of death was selected and matched with controls who died of all other causes e xcept cancel: Similar to the findings of our parallel large case contr ol study of prostate cancer; we observed excess risks in some white-co llar occupations, such as administrators, managers, teachers, engineer s, and sales occupations. However some blue-collar occupations, such a s power plant operators and stationary engineers, brickmasons, machine ry maintenance workers, airplane pilots, longshoreman, railroad indust ry workers, and other occupations with potential exposure to PAH also showed risk of excess prostate cancer: Risk was significantly deceased for blue-collar occupations, including farm workers, commercial fishe rmen, mechanics and repairers, structural metal workers, mining, print ing, winding, dry cleaning, textile machine operators, cooks, bakers, and bartenders. Although we observed excess risks of prostate cancer a mong some low socioeconomic status (SES) occupations, the overall resu lts suggest that the effects of higher SES cannot be oiled out in asso ciations between occupational factors and the risk of prostate cancer: (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.