title: Cancer incidence in California flight attendants (United States).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine unusual exposure opportunities to flight crews from chemicals, cosmic radiation, and electric and magnetic fields.
  
  
  METHODS
  This project evaluated the incidence of cancers of the breast and other sites among Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) members residing in California. AFA membership files were matched to California's statewide cancer registry to identify a total of 129 newly diagnosed invasive cancers among AFA members with California residential histories between 1988 and 1995.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the general population, female breast cancer incidence was over 30% higher than expected, and malignant melanoma incidence was roughly twice that expected. Both of these are cancers that are associated with higher socioeconomic status and have been suggestively associated with various sources of radiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with the results from Nordic studies of cabin crews and a recent meta-analysis of prior studies, these data suggest that follow-up investigations should focus on the potential relative contribution of workplace exposures and lifestyle characteristics to the higher rates of disease for these two cancers.
authors.affiliation: California Department of Health Services, Environmental Health Investigations Branch, Oakland 94612, USA.
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cone
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Layefsky
authors.forename: Debbie E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hurley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects; D000401:Aircraft; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003359:Cosmic Radiation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012923:Social Class; D017132:Workplace