A Study of Occupational Associations with Gastric Cancer

Abstract

The complete occupational histories of 56 male hospital gastric cancer cases were compared with those of 4 matched control groups of patients from the same hospital, totaling 677 patients. Statistically significant associations were noted between gastric cancer and 3 separate occuptaional exposures; namely, iron dust, inorganic dust with free silica, and grain dust subsequent to exposure to iron dust. These occupational findings were independent of the effect of the factors of age, population size of place of residence, smoking, color, marital status, and socioeconomic status. Polish birth was significantly associated with the gastric cancer group also, independent of the occupational associations. These associations do not necessarily represent cause and effect, and must be treated cautiously. However, some of them tend to confirm the work of previous investigators, and they deserve further study.