[Occupation and breast cancer in women]

Breast cancer mortality was studied in 35 occupational groups of female pensioners from 32 urban areas of the former Soviet Union. The 35 groups included nine predominantly professional or office-work groups and 26 groups of labour. Breast cancer mortality was significantly increased among the retired women who had been usually employed in white- collar jobs. Blue-collar jobs that also demonstrated excess breast cancer mortality included food industry workers, railroad workers, urban transport employees, sales women, and waitresses. The highest breast cancer mortality was observed among physicians who had 7-fold rates than among stokers who had the lowest breast cancer. The associations are thought to be due to their lifestyle and sexual and reproductive patterns connected with the socioeconomical status.