Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Occupation and Bladder Cancer Risk in a Population-based Case-control Study in New Hampshire

  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: To identify occupations with excess bladder cancer risk in New Hampshire, where bladder cancer mortality rates have been elevated for decades.

Methods: Lifetime occupational histories were obtained from interviews with 424 cases and 645 controls in a population-based case-control study.Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (Ors) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each occupation, adjusted for age and smoking. Analyses by duration of employment were carried out and interactions with smoking were examined.

Results: Male tractor-trailer truck drivers had an elevated risk for bladder cancer (OR = 2.4, CI = 1.4-4.1), with a significant positive trend in risk with increasing duration of employment (P trend= 0.0003). Male metal/plastic processing machine operators also had a significant excess (OR = 4.9, CI = 1.6-15.1), attributable mainly to molding/casting machine operators (OR = 16.6, CI = 2.1-131). Elevated risk was also observed for male fabricators, assemblers, and hand workers (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.0-3.4). Women in certain sales occupations (sales clerks, counter clerks, and cashiers) had a significant excess risk (OR = 2.2, CI = 1.3-3.9) and a significant trend with duration of employment (P trend= 0.016), as did female health service workers (OR = 4.1, CI = 1.6-10.7; P trend= 0.014). There was a positive interaction between smoking and employment as a health service worker (p= 0.036).

Conclusions: These findings are generally consistent with previous studies. Elevated risks for male molding/casting machine operators, female salesworkers, and female health service workers, especially those with a history of smoking, require further investigation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Silverman DT, Morrison AS, Devesa SS (1996) Bladder cancer. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni Jr JF, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, 2nd edn. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.1156-1179.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Silverman DT, Levin LI, Hoover RN, et al. (1989) Occupational risks of bladder cancer in the United States:I.White men. J Natl Cancer Inst81:1472-1480.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Devesa SS, Grauman DG, Blot WJ, et al. (1999) Atlas of Cancer Mortality in the United States,1950-1994. Washington,D.C.: US Government Printing Office,NIH Publication No.199-4564.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Karagas MR, Stukel TA, Morris JS, et al. (2001) Skin cancer risk in relation to toenail arsenic concentrations in a US population-based case-control study.Am J Epidemiol 153: 559-565.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. US Department of Commerce (1980). Standard Occupational Classiffication Manual.Washington,D.C.: Office of Federal Statis-tical Policy and Standards.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hoar SK, Hoover R (1985) Truck driving and bladder cancer mortality in rural New England.J Natl Cancer Inst 74: 771-774.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Steenland K, Burnett C, Osorio AM (1987) A case-control study of bladder cancer using city directories as a source of occupational data.Amer J Epidemol 126:247-257.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Schifflers E, Jamart J, Renard V (1987) Tobacco and occupation as risk factors in bladder cancer:a case-control study in southern Belgium.Int J Cancer 39:287-292.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Bonassi S, Merlo F, Pearce N, et al. (1989) Bladder cancer and occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.Int J Cancer 44:648-651.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Brown LM, Zahm SH, Hoover RN, et al. (1995) High bladder cancer mortality in rural New England (United States): an etiologic study.Cancer Causes Control 6:361-368.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Silverman DT, Hoover RN, Albert S, et al. (1983) Occupation and cancer of the lower urinary tract in Detroit.J Natl Cancer Inst 70: 237-245.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Silverman DT, Hoover RN, Mason TJ, et al. (1986) Motor exhaust-related occupations and bladder cancer.Cancer Res 46: 2113-2116.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Claude JC, Frentzel-Beyme RR, Kunze E (1988) Occupation and risk of cancer of the lower urinary tract among men.A case-control study.Int J Cancer 41:371-379.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Gaertner RRW, Theriault GP (2002) Risk of bladder cancer in foundry workers:a meta-analysis.Occup Environ Med 59:655-663.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Bates CE, Scheel LD (1974) Processing emissions and occupational health in the ferrous foundry industry.Ame Indus Hyg Assoc J.

  16. Gilliland RG (1974) Silica sand transformations at the mold/metal interface during and after solidi cation-a preliminary report. AFS Trans.

  17. Vineis P, Magnani C (1985) Occupation and bladder cancer in males:a case-control study.Int J Cancer 35:599-606.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Zahm SH, Hartge P, Hoover R (1987) The national bladder cancer study:employment in the chemical industry.J Natl Cancer Inst 79: 217-222.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Najem GR, Louria DB, Seebode JJ, et al. (1982) Life time occupation,smoking,caffeine,saccharine,hair dyes and bladder carcinogenesis.Int J Epidemol 11:212-217.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Bravo MP, Rey-Calero J, Conde M (1988) Bladder cancer and asbestos in Spain.Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 36:10-14.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Schoenberg JB, Stemhagen A, Mogielnicki AP, et al. (1984) Case-control study of bladder cancer in New Jersey.I.Occupational exposures in white males.J Natl Cancer Inst 72: 973-981.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schulz MR, Loomis D (2000)Occupational bladder cancer mortality among racial and ethnic minorities in 21 states.Am J Ind Med 38:90-98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Silverman DT, Levin LI, Hoover RN (1990)Occupational risks of bladder cancer among white women in the United States.Am J Epidemiol 132: 453-461.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mannetje A, Kogevinas M, Chang-Claude J, et al. (1999) Occupation and bladder cancer in European women.Cancer Causes Control 10:209-217.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Swanson GM, Burns PB (1995) Cancer incidence among women in the workplace:a study of the association between occupation and industry and 11 cancer sites.J Occup Environ Med 37:282-287.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Burns PB, Swanson GM (1991)Risk of urinary bladder cancer among blacks and whites:the role of cigarette use and occupation. Cancer Causes Control 2:371-379.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Reviere R, Schneider S, Woolbright K (1995) Associations between disease and occupation: hypotheses generated from the National Mortality Followback Survey.Am J Ind Med 27:195-205.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Anton-Culver H, Lee-Feldstein A, Taylor TH (1992) Occupation and bladder cancer risk.Am J Epidemiol 136:89-94.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Coggon D, Pannett B, Acheson ED (1984) Use of job-exposure matrix in an occupational analysis of lung and bladder cancers on the basis of death certi cates. J Natl Cancer Inst 72:61-65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Malker HS, McLaughlin JK, Silverman DT, et al. (1987) Occupational risks for bladder cancer among men in Sweden.Cancer Res 47:6763-6766.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Sadetzki S, Bensal D, Blumstein T, et al. (2000) Selected risk factors for transitional cell bladder cancer.Med Oncol 17:179-182.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Dolin PJ, Cook-Mozaffari P (1992)Occupation and bladder cancer:a death-certi cate study.Br J Cancer 66:568-578.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Travis LB, Curtis RE, Boice Jr JD, et al. (1989) Bladder cancer after chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.N Engl J Med 321:544-545.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Pederson-Bjergaard J, Ersboll J, Hansen VL, et al. (1988) Carcinoma of the urinary bladder after treatment with cyclophos-phamide for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.N Engl J Med 318:1028-1032.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Wall RL, Clausen KP (1975) Carcinoma of the urinary bladder in patients receiving cyclophosphamide.N Engl J Med 293:271-273.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Falck K, Grohn P, Sorsa M, et al. (1979) Mutagenicity in urine or nurses handling cytostatic drugs.Lancet 1:1250-1251.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Cole P, Hoover R, Friedell GH (1972) Occupation and cancer of the lower urinary tract.Cancer 29:1250-1260.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Morrison AS, Ahlbom A, Verhoek WG, et al. (1985) Occupation and bladder cancer in Boston,USA,Manchester,UK,and Nagoya,Japan. J Epidemiol Community Health 39:294-300.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Cordier S, Clavel J, Boccon-Gibod L, et al. (1993) Occupational risks of bladder cancer in France:a multicentre case-control study. Int J Cancer 22:403-411.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Teschke K, Morgan MS, Checkoway H, et al. (1997) Surveillance of nasal and bladder cancer to locate sources of exposure to occupational carcinogens.Occup Environ Med 54:443-451.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Porru S, Aulenti V, Donato F, et al. (1996) Bladder cancer and occupation:a case-control study in northern Italy.Occup Environ Med 53:6-10.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Silverman DT, Levin LI, Hoover RN (1989) Occupational risks of bladder cancer in the United States:II Nonwhite men.J Natl Cancer Inst 81:1480-1483.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA

    Joanne S. Colt, Dalsu Baris, Patricia Stewart & Debra Silverman

  2. Department of Health and Human Services, Occupational And Environmental Epidemiology Branch, 6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 8112 Bethesda, MD, 20892-7240, USA

    Joanne S. Colt

  3. Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

    Alan R. Schned, John A. Heaney, Leila A. Mott & Margaret Karagas

Authors
  1. Joanne S. Colt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dalsu Baris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Patricia Stewart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alan R. Schned
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. John A. Heaney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Leila A. Mott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Debra Silverman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Margaret Karagas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Colt, J.S., Baris, D., Stewart, P. et al. Occupation and Bladder Cancer Risk in a Population-based Case-control Study in New Hampshire. Cancer Causes Control 15, 759–769 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000043426.28741.a2

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000043426.28741.a2

Search

Navigation