Cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish sewage workers: extended follow up.
OBJECTIVE
To study the cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish sewage workers. An increased incidence of cancer of the stomach, the kidney and the nervous system in this cohort was previously reported. This new analysis reports on 9 more years of follow up.


METHODS
The study is an analysis of a cohort of all 711 employees at 17 Swedish sewage plants employed for at least for 1 year during the years 1965-86. Assessment of exposures was performed by classification of work tasks. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated.


RESULTS
The total cancer incidence was not significantly increased (SIR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.5) but the incidence of prostate cancer was (SIR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.5), and based on two cases only, there seemed to be a significant increase of cancer of the nose and the nasal sinuses (SIR = 12, 95% CI 1.5 to 44). The incidence of stomach cancer was also increased (SIR = 2.3, 95% CI 0.99 to 4.5). There was no relation between cancer incidence and level of sewage exposure.


CONCLUSIONS
Sewage workers did not have an increased risk of cancer, and the increased risk estimates for some specific cancer sites were not conclusive.
Friis
L
L
Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. Lennart.Friis@occmed.uu.se
Mikoczy
Z
Z
Hagmar
L
L
Edling
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012722:Sewage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D012722:Sewage