Objectives This study evaluated whether occupational exposure plays a role
for lung cancer at a very young age.
Methods in a pooled analysis of 2 German case-referent studies including 34
98 incident cases among men and 3541 male population referents, a group of
men (187 cases and 202 referents) aged greater than or equal to 45 years wa
s compared with a group of 2186 cases and 2146 referents aged 55-69 years.
Occupational exposure to known (A list) or suspected (B list) lung carcinog
ens was assessed using job and industry codes, and exposure to asbestos was
assessed using job-specific supplementary questionnaires. A conditional lo
gistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (OR) and to control
for smoking.
Results Asbestos exposure showed an odds ratio (OR) of 2.39 [95% confidence
interval (95% CI) 1.41-4.04] for the younger group and 1.46 (95% CI 1.24-1
.72) for the older soup. Having ever worked in a job belonging to the A lis
t as compared with never working in an A- or B-List job was associated with
a significantly increased risk for the younger (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.03-4.12)
and older (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10-1.65) groups, adjusted for asbestos. Lung
cancer risk for those working in A-list jobs at a very young age (under 16
years) was increased in the younger group (OR 6.14, 95% CI 1.41-28.01) in c
ontrast to the older group (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.91-1.63).
Conclusion occupational risk factors play an important role for lung cancer
among young men. Early age at first exposure may favor an early age of the
onset of lung cancer.