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Rare cancers of unknown etiology : lessons learned from a European multi-center case–control study

Lynge, Elsebeth ; Kaerlev, Linda ; Olsen, Jørn ; Sabroe, Svend ; Afonso, Noemia ; Ahrens, Wolfgang ; Eriksson, Mikael LU orcid ; Merletti, Franco ; Morales-Suarez-Varelas, Maria and Stengrevics, Aivars , et al. (2020) In European Journal of Epidemiology 35(10). p.937-948
Abstract

Rare cancers together constitute one fourth of cancers. As some rare cancers are caused by occupational exposures, a systematic search for further associations might contribute to future prevention. We undertook a European, multi-center case–control study of occupational risks for cancers of small intestine, bone sarcoma, uveal melanoma, mycosis fungoides, thymus, male biliary tract and breast. Incident cases aged 35–69 years and sex-and age-matched population/colon cancer controls were interviewed, including a complete list of jobs. Associations between occupational exposure and cancer were assessed with unconditional logistic regression controlled for sex, age, country, and known confounders, and reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95%... (More)

Rare cancers together constitute one fourth of cancers. As some rare cancers are caused by occupational exposures, a systematic search for further associations might contribute to future prevention. We undertook a European, multi-center case–control study of occupational risks for cancers of small intestine, bone sarcoma, uveal melanoma, mycosis fungoides, thymus, male biliary tract and breast. Incident cases aged 35–69 years and sex-and age-matched population/colon cancer controls were interviewed, including a complete list of jobs. Associations between occupational exposure and cancer were assessed with unconditional logistic regression controlled for sex, age, country, and known confounders, and reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Interviewed were 1053 cases, 2062 population, and 1084 colon cancer controls. Male biliary tract cancer was associated with exposure to oils with polychlorinated biphenyls; OR 2.8 (95% CI 1.3–5.9); male breast cancer with exposure to trichloroethylene; OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.1–3.3); bone sarcoma with job as a carpenter/joiner; OR 4.3 (95% CI 1.7–10.5); and uveal melanoma with job as a welder/sheet metal worker; OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.08–3.52); and cook; OR 2.4 (95% CI 1.4–4.3). A confirmatory study of printers enhanced suspicion of 1,2-dichloropropane as a risk for biliary tract cancer. Results contributed to evidence for classification of welding and 1,2-dichloropronane as human carcinogens. However, despite efforts across nine countries, for some cancer sites only about 100 cases were interviewed. The Rare Cancer Study illustrated both the strengths and limitations of explorative studies for identification of etiological leads.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cancer, Risk factor
in
European Journal of Epidemiology
volume
35
issue
10
pages
12 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:32681390
  • scopus:85088145978
ISSN
0393-2990
DOI
10.1007/s10654-020-00663-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4b402585-6c95-409b-a8e5-dbb41d82a30b
date added to LUP
2020-07-30 14:55:13
date last changed
2024-04-03 12:22:07
@article{4b402585-6c95-409b-a8e5-dbb41d82a30b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Rare cancers together constitute one fourth of cancers. As some rare cancers are caused by occupational exposures, a systematic search for further associations might contribute to future prevention. We undertook a European, multi-center case–control study of occupational risks for cancers of small intestine, bone sarcoma, uveal melanoma, mycosis fungoides, thymus, male biliary tract and breast. Incident cases aged 35–69 years and sex-and age-matched population/colon cancer controls were interviewed, including a complete list of jobs. Associations between occupational exposure and cancer were assessed with unconditional logistic regression controlled for sex, age, country, and known confounders, and reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Interviewed were 1053 cases, 2062 population, and 1084 colon cancer controls. Male biliary tract cancer was associated with exposure to oils with polychlorinated biphenyls; OR 2.8 (95% CI 1.3–5.9); male breast cancer with exposure to trichloroethylene; OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.1–3.3); bone sarcoma with job as a carpenter/joiner; OR 4.3 (95% CI 1.7–10.5); and uveal melanoma with job as a welder/sheet metal worker; OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.08–3.52); and cook; OR 2.4 (95% CI 1.4–4.3). A confirmatory study of printers enhanced suspicion of 1,2-dichloropropane as a risk for biliary tract cancer. Results contributed to evidence for classification of welding and 1,2-dichloropronane as human carcinogens. However, despite efforts across nine countries, for some cancer sites only about 100 cases were interviewed. The Rare Cancer Study illustrated both the strengths and limitations of explorative studies for identification of etiological leads.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lynge, Elsebeth and Kaerlev, Linda and Olsen, Jørn and Sabroe, Svend and Afonso, Noemia and Ahrens, Wolfgang and Eriksson, Mikael and Merletti, Franco and Morales-Suarez-Varelas, Maria and Stengrevics, Aivars and Guénel, Pascal}},
  issn         = {{0393-2990}},
  keywords     = {{Cancer; Risk factor}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{937--948}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{Rare cancers of unknown etiology : lessons learned from a European multi-center case–control study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10654-020-00663-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10654-020-00663-y}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}