Cancer mortality among service men in the Brazilian Navy

Objective To identify differences in cancer proportionate mortality among m ale servicemen of the Brazilian Navy when compared to a referent population and to detect potential occupational risk factors. Methods Cancer proportionate mortality was estimated using death certificat es and occupational histories of Brazilian navy servicemen aged 19 or more in the period of 1991 to 1995. The population of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) wa s chosen as referent group because this city concentrates 70% of all Navy s ervicemen. Results Servicemen are more likely to die from brain neoplasm (age-adjusted cancer proportionate mortality ratio - ACPMR=339.27), prostate cancer (ACP MR=135.04), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ACPMR=152.28) than the referent popul ation. Health-related occupations show an excess of brain neoplasm (ACPMR=2 .7, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1-6.5) and liver cancer (ACPMR=2.9; 95% CI: 1.1- 7.8); colonrectal cancer was higher among officials of the Army Co rp and other administrative occupations (ACPMR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.3 -4.5); lary nx cancer (ACPMR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.0) is more common among men working in maintenance and repair occupations. Conclusions In this study, servicemen of the Brazilian Navy Force have a di stinct cancer mortality profile from the general reference population. Risk factors for cancer need to be further evaluated, by using more specific di agnosis and occupational-related exposure data.