PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Kajsa Kirstine Ugelvig Petersen AU - Julie Elbaek Pedersen AU - Jens Peter Bonde AU - Niels Erik Ebbehoej AU - Johnni Hansen TI - Long-term follow-up for cancer incidence in a cohort of Danish firefighters AID - 10.1136/oemed-2017-104660 DP - 2017 Oct 21 TA - Occupational and Environmental Medicine PG - oemed-2017-104660 4099 - http://oem.bmj.com/content/early/2017/10/21/oemed-2017-104660.short 4100 - http://oem.bmj.com/content/early/2017/10/21/oemed-2017-104660.full AB - Objectives To examine cancer incidence among Danish firefighters using several employment-related exposure subgroups.Methods A historical cohort of 9061 male Danish firefighters was established from collected personnel and membership records from employers and trade unions. Using the unique Danish personal identification number, information on additional previous employment, cancer and vital status was linked to members of the cohort from the Supplementary Pension Fund Register, the Danish Cancer Registry and the Danish Civil Registration System. SIRs were calculated for specific cancer types using rates for the general population, a sample of the working population and military employees, respectively.Results Compared with the selected reference groups, the overall observed incidence of cancer among the firefighters was at level with the expected (SIR 1.02, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.09 vs the general population). The SIR for colon cancer was consistently significantly reduced, while the slight excess seen for melanoma of the skin, prostate and testicular cancer compared with the general population was not reproduced using the military as reference.Conclusions Previous associations with melanoma of the skin, prostate and testicular cancer are supported by our main results. However, the increase in incidence of these cancers is not reproduced using the military as reference. Similarities in cancer profile for the firefighters and the military point to shared risk factors in either lifestyle or work environment.