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Socioeconomic factors might be associated with occupational risk of cutaneous SCC
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Socioeconomic factors and occupational exposures might be associated with an occupational variation in the risk for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, according to recently published research of workers in four Nordic countries.
Researchers conducted a historical perspective study based on census data for 12.9 million people born between 1896 and 1960 and cancer registry data from 1961 to 2005. The census data were from Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The researchers estimated standardized incidence ratios for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) for 53 occupational categories.
The national cancer registries had 87,619 incident cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) reported.
“In all countries combined, significant increased standardized incidence ratios were observed among seaman, military personnel, public safety workers, technical workers, teachers, transport workers, technical workers, teachers, transport workers, physicians, dentists, nurses, other health workers, religious workers, clerical workers, administrators and sales agents (standardized incidence ratios between 1.08 and 1.77),” the researchers wrote.
There were significant increased standardized incidence ratios (SIR) for cutaneous SCC according to age. There were excess risks for cutaneous SCC for men after age 50 years at a national level in Swedish fishermen (SIR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.25-1.71) and postal workers (SIR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1-1.25), and Norwegian building caretakers (SIR = 1.25; 95% CI, 1-1.54). Excess risk after 50 years of age in women was observed at a national level among Finnish woodworkers (SIR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.04-1.64).
Occupational categories for men with outdoor work had a consistent tendency of decreasing SIRS across time, while there was a trend of increasing SIRS for the top of the socioeconomic hierarchy, including managers and lower administrative work, reported.
“Occupational categories with socioeconomic status, some categories with outdoor work, and some potential exposure to chemical substances showed increased SIRs, compared with the general population,” the researchers wrote.
The occupations in the top of the socioeconomic categories may be more prone to excessive sun habits, or have more awareness of cutaneous SCC, leading to more health exams, the researchers reported.
“As the prevention potential for [cutaneous] SCC is large, our findings are relevant for public health planning, emphasizing the need of targeting occupational categories with increased SIRs in prevention strategies, and not only occupational categories with outdoor work,” the researchers concluded. – by Bruce Thiel
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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