International renal-cell cancer study. IV. Occupation.
The relationship between renal-cell cancer (RCC) and occupation was investigated in an international multicenter population-based case-control study. Study centers in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the United States interviewed 1732 incident RCC cases and 2309 controls. Significant associations were found with employment in the blast-furnace or the coke-oven industry [relative risk (RR), 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-2.7], the iron and steel industry (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2) and exposure to asbestos (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.8), cadmium (RR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-3.9), dry-cleaning solvents (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7), gasoline (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.0) and other petroleum products (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-2.1). Asbestos, petroleum products and dry-cleaning solvents appear to merit further investigation, in view of the relationship between risk and duration of employment or exposure and after adjustment for confounding. There was a negative association between RCC and education, but it was not consistent across all centers. Overall, the results of our multicenter case-control study suggest that occupation may be more important in the etiology of RCC than indicated by earlier studies.
Mandel
J S
JS
Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
McLaughlin
J K
JK
Schlehofer
B
B
Mellemgaard
A
A
Helmert
U
U
Lindblad
P
P
McCredie
M
M
Adami
H O
HO
D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking