title: Occupational histories of cancer patients in a Canadian cancer treatment center and the generated hypothesis regarding breast cancer and farming.
abstract: Occupational exposures increase cancer risks. The Windsor Regional Cancer Centre in Windsor, Ontario, was the first Canadian cancer treatment center to collect the work histories of its patients, which were recorded using a computer-based questionnaire. Breast cancer cases represented the largest respondent group. The lifetime occupational histories of 299 women with newly diagnosed breast cancers were compared with those of 237 women with other cancers. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression, adjusting for age, social class, and education. The OR for women < or = 55 years of age with breast cancer who had ever farmed, compared with women of the same age with other cancers, was 9.05 (95% CI 1.06, 77.43). Patients' occupational histories can help to inform understanding of cancer etiology and prevention. This effort points to a need for investigation of the possible association between breast cancer and agricultural hazards such as pesticides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. jimbrophy@sympatico.ca
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Brophy
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gorey
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laukkanen
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hellyer
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watterson
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reinhartz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilberston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology