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Cutaneous melanoma in Swedish women: Occupational risks by anatomic site
Author(s) -
PérezGómez Beatriz,
Aragonés Nuria,
Gustavsson Per,
Plato Nils,
LópezAbente Gonzalo,
Pollán Marina
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20212
Subject(s) - medicine , melanoma , risk factor , head and neck , thorax (insect anatomy) , relative risk , demography , surgery , anatomy , confidence interval , cancer research , sociology
Background Few occupational studies have addressed melanoma in women. Accordingly, our aim was to identify occupations with higher risk of cutaneous melanoma, overall and by site, in Swedish female workers. Methods All gainfully employed Swedish women were followed‐up from 1971 to 1989, using Death/Cancer Registers. Occupational risk ratios adjusted for age, period, town size, and geographic zone were computed for each site. Risk patterns for different sites were then compared. Results High risks were observed among educators, bank tellers, dental nurses, librarians/archivists/curators, horticultural workers, and hatmakers/milliners. Telephone operators and textile workers had increased risk, mainly in the leg. Other occupation‐specific site excesses were also found. Upper‐limb risks were correlated with head/neck and thorax, though these two sites were not associated. Legs registered a special pattern, with a moderate correlation with upper limbs or thorax, and no correlation with head/neck. Conclusions Some occupations with possible exposure to arsenic/mercury displayed increased risk. The generalized excess risk among hatmakers/milliners warrants further attention. The weak correlation between legs and other sites suggests site specificity in melanoma risk factors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.