[Occupationally-induced lung cancer--a quantitative evaluation for the North Germany area]

The aim of the study was to estimate the proportion of occupation-related lung cancer for males and females in Northern Germany. 1004 lung cancer cases (839 males, 165 females) were enrolled into an epidemiological case-control study in the study areas Bremen, the surroundings of Bremen and the Frankfurt/Main area. Population controls were matched for sex and region of residence. All patients born after 1913 of German nationality and with a histologically or cytologically verified carcinoma of the lung, the diagnosis not older than 3 months at the date of interview, were eligible. All individuals were personally interviewed with respect to their smoking and job history. Based on a published list of all jobs and branches of industries with sufficient evidence for lung carcinogenity (based on the reviews by IARC), the so called A-List, all individuals were classified regarding their lifelong occupational history. The same procedure was applied with regard to jobs and branches of industries with a suspected risk of lung cancer (List-B). The statistical analysis used conditional logistic regression, controlled for smoking. Being employed in a job of List-A for at least half a year was associated with a statistically significant odds ratio (OR) of 1.63 (p < 0.0001) and resulting attributable risk (AR) of 16% in males. For the B-List an OR of 1.34 and an AR of 10% resulted in males. The estimates of the attributable risk for jobs and branches of industry with a sufficient evidence of lung cancer risk is comparable to the estimates obtained by Doll and Peto for the US. If additionally jobs and branches of industries with a suspected risk for lung cancer is considered, it must be anticipated that approximately one quarter of all newly diagnosed male lung cancer cases in the study region may be caused by occupational risk factors. This should prompt to minimise occupational exposure.