title: Hospitalization due to cancer among German seafarers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relative risk of cancer among male German seafarers employed on German vessels in respect of various shipboard ranks and types of vessel.
  
  
  METHODS
  The seafarers' cancer discharge diagnoses from hospital were compared with those discharge diagnoses from the German general population and expressed as a standardized hospitalization ratio (SHR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The examined seafarers (on average 23,436 per year) showed a higher SHR for malignant neoplasms at all sites, in decreasing order for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), respiratory cancer, and non-melanoma skin cancer. Seafarers employed on tankers showed a considerably elevated SHR for malignant neoplasms at all sites, which was mainly attributable to their high SHR for leukemia and respiratory cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seafaring occupations pose an elevated risk of certain cancers. Further studies are required to evaluate to what extent occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances and lifestyle-related unhealthy behaviours contribute to the increased risk of cancer in seafarers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, ZfAM, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oldenburg
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Harth
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Manuwald
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009326:Naval Medicine; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009790:Occupations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012767:Ships / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cancer; chemicals; exposure; health hazards; hospitalization; lifestyle; seafarers; tankers