[An approach to use cancer registration to assess cancer risks by occupation and industry]

This study explored how to use cancer registration data to assess cancer risk. Based on the data of the Tianjin Cancer Registry, the occupational and industrial risk for lung cancer were assessed as examples. All cases of cancer aged at least 20 years and reported during 1981-1987 to the TCR formed the basis of the study. A comparison was made using case-case methodology that cases of one cancer site compared with cases of all other sites. Data were re-coded according to 30 occupational and 27 industrial categories. The individuals employed in the interested category were considered as exposed, and subjects employed in all other categories were considered as unexposed. Statistical analysis was conducted by unconditional multiple logistic regression. Regression models included sex, age and year of diagnosis. From our study, the results are constant with previous reports. The systematic analysis of the association between occupation and industry of employment and cancer among men and women registered in the TCR provided confirmation in this population of a number of known or suspected occupational cancer risk factors studied in industrialized countries. The main advantages of this design are 1. To use the data of a cancer registration that are already existed. 2. It is easy, fast and less cost to screening the cancer risk or potential cancer risk. 3. All factors in the database of cancer registration could be evaluated, for example, occupation, industry, education, etc. 4. The way to define cases and exposed groups could decrease the influence of confounding and bias.