Cancer risks among New Zealand meat workers.
The study reports a series of case-referent studies based on the New Zealand Cancer Register and involving 19,904 male cancer patients aged 20 years or more at the time of registration during the period 1980-1984. For each cancer site, the registrations for the remaining sites formed the reference group. An increased risk for lung (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.06-1.58) and laryngeal (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.19-3.39) cancer was found among meatworkers. It was confined to men aged less than 65 years at registration. The risk for soft-tissue sarcoma was elevated (OR 1.90, 95% CI 0.90-4.02). The risk estimate for all types of leukemia was elevated moderately (OR 1.45, 95% CI 0.90-2.31), but cell type-specific analyses revealed a greater effect for acute myeloid leukemia (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.09-4.12). This study adds to the evidence that employment as a meatworker is associated with increased risk for several forms of cancer.
Reif
J S
JS
Department of Environmental Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Pearce
N E
NE
Fraser
J
J
D000003:Abattoirs; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008461:Meat Products; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009520:New Zealand; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors