Cancer mortality experience of woodworkers, loggers, fishermen, farmers, and miners in British Columbia.

Abstract

To evaluate occupational cancer mortality in British Columbia, we calculated the age-standardized proportional mortality ratios (PMR) and proportional cancer mortality ratios (PCMR) for 4,091 woodworkers, 5,457 loggers, 2,020 fishermen, 4,066 farmers, and 1,912 miners. Woodworkers 20-65 years old had significantly elevated risks of death from stomach cancer (PCMR = 128, P less than .01) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (PCMR = 140, P less than .05). Loggers appear to have an elevated risk of death from nasal sinus tumors (PCMR = 364, P less than .05). Fishermen had an elevated risk of stomach cancer (PCMR = 168, P less than .01). Farmers in British Columbia appeared to have excess risks of stomach (PCMR = 136, P less than .01) and liver cancer (PCMR = 173, P less than .05), but decreased risk from lung cancer (PCMR = 76, P less than .01). Miners had an elevated risk of death from lung cancer (PCMR = 127, P less than .05) and primary eye tumors (PCMR = 569, P less than .05).