Cancer in Persons Working in Dry Cleaning in the Nordic Countries

U.S. studies have reported an increased risk of esophageal and some other cancers in dry cleaners exposed to tetrachloroethylene. We investigated whether the U.S. findings could be reproduced in the Nordic countries using a series of case–control studies nested in cohorts of laundry and dry-cleaning workers identified from the 1970 censuses in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Dry-cleaning work in the Nordic countries during the period when tetrachloroethylene was the dominant solvent was not associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer [rate ratio (RR) = 0.76; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34–1.69], but our study was hampered by some unclassifiable cases. The risks of cancer of the gastric cardia, liver, pancreas, and kidney and non-Hodgkin lymphoma were not significantly increased. Assistants in dry-cleaning shops had a borderline significant excess risk of cervical cancer not found in women directly involved in dry cleaning. We found an excess risk of bladder cancer (RR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.07–1.93) not associated with length of employment. The finding of no excess risk of esophageal cancer in Nordic dry cleaners differs from U.S. findings. Chance, differences in level of exposure to tetrachloroethylene, and confounding may explain the findings. The overall evidence on bladder cancer in dry cleaners is equivocal

Occupational risks for uveal melanoma results from a case-control study in nine European countries.

International audienceOBJECTIVE: Uveal melanoma is a rare disease with poor prognosis and largely unknown etiology. We studied potential occupational risk factors. METHODS: A population based case-control study was undertaken during 1995-1997 in nine European countries using population and colon cancer controls with personal interviews. Occupational exposure to sunlight and artificial UV radiation was assessed with a job exposure matrix. In total, 320 uveal melanoma cases were eligible at pathology review, and 292 cases were interviewed, participation 91%. Out of 3357 population controls, 2062 were interviewed, 61%, and out of 1272 cancer controls 1094 were interviewed, 86%. RESULTS: Using population controls, occupational exposure to sunlight was not associated with an increased risk (RR=1.24, 95% CI=0.88-1.74), while an excess risk found with use of colon cancer controls was attributed to confounding factors. An excess risk in welders was restricted to the French part of the data. Cooks, RR=2.40; cleaners, RR 2.15; and laundry workers, RR=3.14, were at increased risk of uveal melanoma. CONCLUSION: Our study does overall not support an association between occupational sunlight exposure and risk of uveal melanoma. The finding of an excess risk of eye melanoma in cooks in several European countries is intriguing