Cancer and occupation in women: identifying associations using routinely collected national data

Some potentially important findings from an analysis of 119,227 cancers registered in women in England over the 7-year period 1981 to 1987 are discussed. Data are presented for four cancer sites with established occupational etiologies (bladder, pleura, lung, larynx), three occupational groups in which women predominate (teachers, nurses, barstaff), and the main female cancers of the reproductive system (breast, uterus, cervix, ovary). Excesses of bladder cancer in female rubber workers (proportional registration ratio [PRR] 350, 95% confidence interval [CI] 141-723), pleural cancer in female carpenters (PRR 1596, 95% CI 329-4665) and lung cancer in female construction workers (PRR 269, 95% CI 154-437) and barstaff (PRR 138, 95%CI 124-156) are noted. It is concluded that analyses of routinely collected data on cancer and occupation in women have the potential to provide valuable pointers for further research.