Occupation and bowel cancer

Abstract

In the last 25 yr U.S. men but not women over 55 have experienced a 30% rise in bowel cancer risk. One obvious possibility is that occupational risks have increased. As a possible prologue to a major occupational study, we have analyzed what published U.S. and English data exist on occupational mortality. Unfortunately, these data are not recent. The data for broad occupational groups show that mortality rates for colon and rectal cancer are correlated and can reasonably be pooled for studies of specific occupations. In both the United States and Great Britain, professionals appear at high risk for large‐bowel cancer. Of U.S. industries with elevated death rates, those composed of white‐collar workers are predominant, but the manufacturing Industries as a group also appear to have an elevated risk. Within manufacturing, clusters of occupations concerned with metal work, yarn or textiles, and leather goods show elevated death rates; there are also some parallels in the English data for these occupations. Other less consistent results raised the possibility of hazards in occupations related to dyes, meat handling, smoke inhalation, and chemicals.