Increased incidence of malignant melanoma of the skin in workers in a telecommunications industry.
In 1982 physicians at a hospital melanoma clinic in Montreal noticed that among their patients there had been seven men working in a single telecommunications company. This raised suspicions that working in that industry might be associated with development of malignant melanoma of the skin (MMS). A preliminary gross comparison with general population rates indicated that there was an increased risk in this working group. To estimate the risk of MMS more accurately, a standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was calculated based on the rates of MMS in the local population of the Greater Metropolitan Montreal Area for the years 1976-83. During that period, among workers in all plants for the company, 10 male cases of MMS were observed for an expected number of 3.7 (SIR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.31-5.02). No cases were observed among female workers (expected = 1.3). The excess was significant among cases with a short latency (less than 20 years since beginning of employment). There was no apparent pattern of exposure based on job titles or departments.
De Guire
L
L
Community Health Department of Sacré-Coeur Hospital, School of Occupational Health of McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Theriault
G
G
Iturra
H
H
Provencher
S
S
Cyr
D
D
Case
B W
BW
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011792:Quebec; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013685:Telecommunications