title: Occupational risks for uveal melanoma results from a case-control study in nine European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uveal melanoma is a rare disease with poor prognosis and largely unknown etiology. We studied potential occupational risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population based case-control study was undertaken during 1995-1997 in nine European countries using population and colon cancer controls with personal interviews. Occupational exposure to sunlight and artificial UV radiation was assessed with a job exposure matrix. In total, 320 uveal melanoma cases were eligible at pathology review, and 292 cases were interviewed, participation 91%. Out of 3357 population controls, 2062 were interviewed, 61%, and out of 1272 cancer controls 1094 were interviewed, 86%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using population controls, occupational exposure to sunlight was not associated with an increased risk (RR=1.24, 95% CI=0.88-1.74), while an excess risk found with use of colon cancer controls was attributed to confounding factors. An excess risk in welders was restricted to the French part of the data. Cooks, RR=2.40; cleaners, RR 2.15; and laundry workers, RR=3.14, were at increased risk of uveal melanoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study does overall not support an association between occupational sunlight exposure and risk of uveal melanoma. The finding of an excess risk of eye melanoma in cooks in several European countries is intriguing.
authors.affiliation: Registre Genevois des Tumeurs, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cree
authors.forename: Svend
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabroe
authors.forename: Tine Kajsa
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kvist
authors.forename: Lene Bjørk
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Clausen
authors.forename: Noemia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahrens
authors.forename: Terri J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cyr
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Févotte
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guénel
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardell
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jöckel
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merletti
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Morales-Suarez-Varela
authors.forename: Aivars
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stengrevics
authors.forename: Elsebeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lynge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology