Cancer mortality among butchers: a 24-state death certificate study.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to document cancer mortality among American butchers.


METHODS
Death certificates collected in 24 American states were used to calculate mortality odds ratios (ORs) and their confidence intervals (CIs) for 18,639 butchers.


RESULTS
Butchers experienced an increased mortality of cancer of the oral cavity (OR, 1.40; 95% CI = 1.09-1.81), esophagus (OR, 1.19; 95% CI = 1.01-1.40), pharynx (OR, 1.22; 95% CI = 0.91-1.64), and larynx (OR, 1.19; 95% CI = 0.92-1.54), as well as a reduced mortality from melanoma (OR, 0.70; 95% CI = 0.52-0.94), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (OR, 0.82; 95% CI = 0.69-0.97), and breast cancer (OR, 0.76; 95% CI = 0.58-0.99).


CONCLUSIONS
It is likely that occupational exposures experienced by butchers have contributed to the increased risk of cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus.
Besson
Hervé
H
International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
Banks
Robert
R
Boffetta
Paolo
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D003644:Death Certificates; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology