Occupation/industry and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the United States

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Published Online First: 19 September 2008. doi:10.1136/oem.2007.036723

Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2009;66:23-31

Occupation/industry and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the United States

M Schenk1, M P Purdue2, J S Colt2, P Hartge2, A Blair2, P 2, J R Cerhan3,

A J De Roos4, W Cozen5, R K Severson1

1 Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, and Karmanos Cancer

Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA

2 Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute,

National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services,

Bethesda, land, USA

3 Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine,

Rochester, Minnesota, USA

4 Program in Epidemiology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Department

of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

5 Department of Preventive Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center,

University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California,

USA

Correspondence to:

jean Schenk, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Family Medicine

and Public Health Sciences, 101 E. andrine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA;

mschenk@...

Aims: To identify occupations and industries associated with non-Hodgkin's

lymphoma (NHL) in a large population-based, case-control study in the USA.

Methods: Cases (n = 1189) of histologically confirmed malignant NHL ages 20-74

were prospectively identified in four geographic areas covered by the National

Cancer Institute SEER Program. Controls (n = 982) were selected from the general

population by random digit dialling (<65 years of age) and from residents listed

in Medicare files (65-74 years of age). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals

for occupations and industries were calculated by unconditional logistic

regression analyses, adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity and study centre.

Further analyses stratified for gender and histological subtype were also

performed.

Results: Risk of NHL was increased for a few occupations and industries. Several

white collar occupations, with no obvious hazardous exposures, had elevated

risks, including purchasing agents and buyers, religious workers, physical

therapists and information clerks. Occupations with excesses that may have

exposures of interest include launderers and ironers, service occupations,

food/beverage preparation supervisors, hand packers and packagers, roofing and

siding, leather and leather products, transportation by air, nursing and

personal care facilities, and specialty outpatient clinics. Significantly

decreased risks of NHL were found for a number of occupations and industries

including post-secondary teachers and chemical and allied products.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that several occupations and

industries may alter the risk of NHL. Our results support previously reported

increased risks among farmers, printers, medical professionals, electronic

workers and leather workers. These findings should be evaluated further in

larger studies that have the power to focus on specific exposures and

histological subtypes of NHL.