Registry-based analysis of occupational risks for primary liver cancer in Sweden

A systematic evaluation was made of the occurrence of microscopically confirmed primary liver cancer (International Classification of Disease, 7th Rev., 155.0) among men by industrial and occupational classification using the Cancer-Environment Registry, which links cancer incidence (1961-1979) and census data (1960) on industry and occupation for all employed persons in Sweden. A number of blue collar jobs were found to be significantly associated with primary liver cancer, including men employed in breweries, slaughterhouses, grain mills, shoe fabrication, basic industrial chemicals, plumbing and pipefitting, and insulation work. Although brewery workers and several white collar and service employment categories had significantly increased risks, the influence of alcohol intake was suggested by a parallel mortality analysis showing that most categories had excesses of liver cirrhosis and alcoholism. While often consistent with previous studies, the findings of this registry-based survey should be considered primarily as hypothesis generating in nature.