Cancer incidence among Norwegian airline pilots
T Haldorsen1, J B Reitan, U Tveten
1The Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo. th@kreftreg.no
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
|May 19, 2000
Summary
Commercial pilots showed no increased cancer risk overall, but had higher rates of malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. Lifestyle factors, not work exposure, likely explain these specific cancer increases.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Radiation Biology
Background:
- Commercial pilots may face occupational exposures, including cosmic radiation, potentially influencing cancer risk.
- Previous studies on pilot cancer incidence have yielded varied results, necessitating further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cancer incidence among commercial pilots.
- To determine if occupational exposures, such as cosmic radiation, impact cancer risk in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study of 3701 male commercial pilots licensed between 1946 and 1994.
- Flight career data and cosmic radiation exposure were estimated.
- Cohort data were linked to the Norwegian Cancer Register for comparison with national rates.
Main Results:
- A total of 200 cancer cases were observed against 188.8 expected (Standardized Incidence Ratio [SIR] 1.06).
- No significant decrease in risk was observed for any cancer site.
- Increased risks were noted for malignant melanoma (SIR 1.8) and nonmelanoma skin cancer (SIR 2.4), with a trend for melanoma by cumulative dose.
Conclusions:
- Pilot cancer incidence generally aligns with the general population, independent of flight hours or radiation dose.
- Elevated risks for malignant melanoma and skin cancer are more plausibly linked to lifestyle factors than occupational conditions.
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