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Published on: January 5, 2017
The relationship between occupations and head and neck cancers
Tevfik Pinar1, Recep Akdur, Arslan Tuncbilek
1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey. thod@thod.org
Objective:
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between occupation and head and neck cancers.
Patients And Methods:
In this case-control study, 206 Turkish patients with head and neck cancers comprised the case group. The control group consisted of 206 age- and sex-matched patients without malignant disease. All patients completed a questionnaire regarding occupation; tobacco and alcohol consumption; educational status; and history of any systemic disease, benign head and neck disease, and cancer among family members. High-risk jobs were considered those in the industries of construction, wood, mining, metal, chemistry and agriculture.
Results:
Patients with head and neck cancers worked in high-risk occupations more frequently than did controls [odds ratio (OR): 3.42, p<0.05]. Cancer risk decreased with the increase in time interval between quitting the high-risk job and time of interview. Smokers were at higher risk than nonsmokers (OR: 3.33, p<0.05). The risk was also higher in patients who drank alcohol regularly (OR: 1.59, p<0.05). However, occupation was found to be an independent high-risk factor for head and neck cancers in regression analysis. Frequency of benign head and neck disease and family history of cancer were not significant risk factors (p>0.05).
Conclusion:
Our analysis showed that occupation and smoking were significant independent risk factors for the development of head and neck cancers among workers.
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