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To investigate employment in an occupation or industry and specific occupational exposures in relation to ovarian cancer risk. In a population-based case-control study conducted in Montreal, Canada (2011-2016), lifetime occupational histories were collected for 491 cases of ovarian cancer and 897 controls. An industrial hygienist coded the occupation and industry of each participant's job. Associations with ovarian cancer risk were estimated for each of several occupations and industries. Job codes were linked to the Canadian job-exposure matrix, thereby generating exposure histories to many agents. The relationship between exposure to each of the 29 most prevalent agents and ovarian cancer risk was assessed. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (OR (95% CI)) for associations with ovarian cancer risk were estimated using logistic regression and controlling for multiple covariates. Elevated ORs (95% CI) were observed for employment ≥10 years as Accountants (2.05 (1.10 to 3.79)); Hairdressers, Barbers, Beauticians and Related Workers (3.22 (1.25 to 8.27)); Sewers and Embroiderers (1.85 (0.77 to 4.45)); and Salespeople, Shop Assistants and Demonstrators (1.45 (0.71 to 2.96)); and in the industries of Retail Trade (1.59 (1.05 to 2.39)) and Construction (2.79 (0.52 to 4.83)). Positive associations with ORs above 1.42 were seen for high cumulative exposure versus never exposure to 18 agents: cosmetic talc, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, hair dust, synthetic fibres, polyester fibres, organic dyes and pigments, cellulose, formaldehyde, propellant gases, aliphatic alcohols, ethanol, isopropanol, fluorocarbons, alkanes (C5-C17), mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum and bleaches. Certain occupations, industries and specific occupational exposures may be associated with ovarian cancer risk. Further research is needed to provide a more solid grounding for any inferences in this regard.

Black carbon (BC), a component of fine particulate matter [particles with an aerodynamic diameter ( )], may contribute to carcinogenic effects of air pollution. Until recently however, there has been little evidence to evaluate this hypothesis. This study aimed to estimate the associations between long-term exposure to BC and risk of cancer. This study was conducted within the French Gazel cohort of 20,625 subjects. We assessed exposure to BC by linking subjects' histories of residential addresses to a map of European black carbon levels in 2010 with back- and forward-extrapolation between 1989 and 2015. We used extended Cox models, with attained age as time-scale and time-varying cumulative exposure to BC, adjusted for relevant sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. To consider latency between exposure and cancer diagnosis, we implemented a 10-y lag, and as a sensitivity analysis, a lag of 2 y. To isolate the effect of BC from that of total , we regressed BC on and used the residuals as the exposure variable. During the 26-y follow-up period, there were 3,711 incident cancer cases (all sites combined) and 349 incident lung cancers. Median baseline exposure in 1989 was 2.65 [interquartile range (IQR): 2.23-3.33], which generally slightly decreased over time. Using 10 y as a lag-time in our models, the adjusted hazard ratio per each IQR increase of the natural log-transformed cumulative BC was 1.17 (95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.29) for all-sites cancer combined and 1.31 (0.93, 1.83) for lung cancer. Associations with BC residuals were also positive for both outcomes. Using 2 y as a lag-time, the results were similar. Our findings for a cohort of French adults suggest that BC may partly explain the association between and lung cancer. Additional studies are needed to confirm our results and further disentangle the effects of BC, total , and other constituents. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8719.

Background INTEROCC is a seven-country cohort study of occupational exposures and brain cancer risk, including occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). In the absence of data on individual exposures, a Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) may be used to construct likely exposure scenarios in occupational settings. This tool was constructed using statistical summaries of exposure to EMF for various occupational categories for a comparable group of workers. Methods In this study, we use the Canadian data from INTEROCC to determine the best EMF exposure surrogate/estimate from three appropriately chosen surrogates from the JEM, along with a fourth surrogate based on Berkson error adjustments obtained via numerical approximation of the likelihood function. In this article, we examine the case in which exposures are gamma-distributed for each occupation in the JEM, as an alternative to the log-normal exposure distribution considered in a previous study conducted by our research team. We also study using those surrogates and the Berkson error adjustment in Poisson regression and conditional logistic regression. Results Simulations show that the introduced methods of Berkson error adjustment for non-stratified analyses provide accurate estimates of the risk of developing tumors in case of gamma exposure model. Alternatively, and under some technical assumptions, the arithmetic mean is the best surrogate when a gamma-distribution is used as an exposure model. Simulations also show that none of the present methods could provide an accurate estimate of the risk in case of stratified analyses. Conclusion While our previous study found the geometric mean to be the best exposure surrogate, the present study suggests that the best surrogate is dependent on the exposure model; the arithmetic means in case of gamma-exposure model and the geometric means in case of log-normal exposure model. However, we could present a better method of Berkson error adjustment for each of the two exposure models. Our results provide useful guidance on the application of JEMs for occupational exposure assessments, with adjustment for Berkson error.

Background Brain tumor etiology is poorly understood. Based on their ability to pass through the blood–brain barrier, it has been hypothesized that exposure to metals may increase the risk of brain cancer. Results from the few epidemiological studies on this issue are limited and inconsistent. Methods We investigated the relationship between glioma risk and occupational exposure to five metals - lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium and iron- as well as to welding fumes, using data from the seven-country INTEROCC study. A total of 1800 incident glioma cases and 5160 controls aged 30–69 years were included in the analysis. Lifetime occupational exposure to the agents was assessed using the INTEROCC JEM, a modified version of the Finnish job exposure matrix FINJEM. Results In general, cases had a slightly higher prevalence of exposure to the various metals and welding fumes than did controls, with the prevalence among ever exposed ranging between 1.7 and 2.2% for cadmium to 10.2 and 13.6% for iron among controls and cases, respectively. However, in multivariable logistic regression analyses, there was no association between ever exposure to any of the agents and risk of glioma with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) ranging from 0.8 (0.7–1.0) for lead to 1.1 (0.7–1.6) for cadmium. Results were consistent across models considering cumulative exposure or duration, as well as in all sensitivity analyses conducted. Conclusions Findings from this large-scale international study provide no evidence for an association between occupational exposure to any of the metals under scrutiny or welding fumes, and risk of glioma.

Background: There is a strong evidence for a protective role of physical activity (PA) on cancers of the colon, breast (postmenopausal) and endometrium, but data are less consistent or scarce for other cancer types. This study assessed the relationship between occupational and recreational PA and cancer risk among men in a population-based case-control study conducted in Montreal, Canada. Methods: Incident cases of cancer of the lung ( n = 857), colon ( n = 496), bladder ( n = 484), prostate ( n = 449), stomach ( n = 251), rectum ( n = 248), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ( n = 215), kidney ( n = 177), pancreas ( n = 116), melanoma ( n = 103), esophagus ( n = 99), Hodgkin's lymphoma ( n = 54), and 533 population controls, were interviewed. Detailed lifetime occupational PAs were translated into metabolic equivalents. Participation in sports and outdoor activities was elicited. Results: Compared to those with low lifetime occupational PA levels, men with high occupational PA levels had decreased odds ratios (OR) for all cancer types. The strongest evidence was for cancers of the colon [OR: 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34–0.99] and the prostate (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.31–0.95). Men engaging in sports and outdoor activities had lower risks of lung (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.52–0.91), esophageal (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.30–0.97) and bladder (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.59–1.05) cancers, and somewhat increased risks of melanoma (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.73–2.12). Conclusions: A protective effect of high lifetime occupational PA levels was observed for colon and prostate cancers. A tendency for inverse associations was also noted for several other cancer types. Recreational PA was inversely related with smoking-related cancers including lung, esophageal and bladder cancers.

Objective This study aimed to explore the possible association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. Methods Data were collected in two population-based case-control studies conducted in Montreal, Canada. Cases were individuals diagnosed with incident, histologically-confirmed lung cancer. Controls were randomly selected from electoral lists and frequency-matched to cases by age, sex, and electoral district of residence. Interviews for the two studies were conducted in 1979-1986 and 1996-2002, using a virtually identical questionnaire to obtain lifetime occupational and smoking history and several lifestyle covariates. Experts reviewed the detailed work history for each participant to assess exposure to several occupational agents, including formaldehyde. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the associations between several metrics of formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer, adjusting for smoking and occupational and sociodemographic factors. Results In all, 2060 lung cancer cases and 2046 population controls were interviewed and assessed for exposure. About 25% of subjects had ever been occupationally exposed to formaldehyde. The adjusted OR for lung cancer was 1.06 (95% CI 0.89-1.27) comparing ever versus never exposure to formaldehyde. Analyses for age at first exposure, average, and peak intensity of exposure also suggested an absence of association between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer risk. Results did not vary by sex, lifetime smoking intensity, or histological subtype. Conclusions No marked increases in lung cancer risk related to workplace formaldehyde exposure were observed. Study participants were mainly exposed at low concentration levels, which should be considered in the interpretation of our findings.

OBJECTIVE:To introduce the Canadian job-exposure matrix (CANJEM). METHODS:Four large case-control studies of cancer were conducted in Montreal, focused on assessing occupational exposures by means of detailed interviews followed by expert assessment of possible occupational exposures. 31,673 jobs were assessed using a checklist of 258 agents (listed with prevalences at http://expostats.ca/chems). This large exposure database was configured as a JEM. RESULTS:CANJEM is available in four occupational classification systems. It provides estimates of probability of exposure among workers with a given occupation, and for those exposed, various metrics of exposure. CANJEM can be accessed online (www.canjem.ca) or in a batch version. CONCLUSIONS:CANJEM is a large source of retrospective exposure information, covering most occupations and many agents. CANJEM can be used to support exposure assessment efforts in epidemiology and occupational health.

BackgroundBenzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) are aromatic hydrocarbons with inconclusive evidence of lung carcinogenicity. The aim of this research was to assess the associations between occupational exposures to BTX agents and lung cancer.MethodsIn a population-based case-control study of lung cancer, occupational histories were obtained and exposures were assessed by experts. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs, among men, between various metrics of occupational exposure to BTX and lung cancer, while adjusting for established and possible risk factors.ResultsConsiderable overlap was found between occupational exposure to BTX, where the majority of exposed participants were exposed to all three chemicals. Lung cancer was associated with exposure to benzene (OR=1.35; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.84), toluene (OR=1.31; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.74) and xylene (OR=1.44; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.01). While these results were adjusted for smoking and other recognised and possible lung cancer risk factors, they were not mutually adjusted among the three BTX agents.ConclusionsOur study provides suggestive evidence that occupational exposure to one or more of the BTX agents may be associated with lung cancer.

IntroductionLung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women. However, little is known regarding occupational risk factors for lung cancer in women.ObjectiveTo investigate possible associations between selected occupational agents and lung cancer risk among women.MethodsWe pooled data from ten case-control studies of lung cancer with detailed lifetime occupational and smoking history. The current analysis was restricted to working women, including 3040 cases and 4186 controls. To assess occupational exposure, we used the Canadian Job-Exposure Matrix (CANJEM). Linking participants’ jobs to the CANJEM allows the estimation of probability, and frequency of exposure to a list of 258 agents. This analysis was restricted to 36 most prevalent occupational agents in our sample of women. The association between lung cancer risk and lifetime ever exposure, duration of exposure, and cumulative exposure for each agent was estimated in separate logistic regression models, adjusted for smoking and other selected covariates.ResultsMost agents we examined were not associated with lung cancer. We observed an increased risk of lung cancer among women occupationally exposed to cooking fumes for over 10 years (OR(95%CI)=1.73(1.09–2.82)). Statistically significant decreased risks of lung cancer were observed among women exposed to various textile fibres, especially among long-duration workers. The results regarding the various textile agents have not been mutually controlled yet. When restricting to never smokers, increased risks of lung cancer were observed among women exposed to metallic dust, isopropanol, and aliphatic alcohols, with OR point estimates for ever exposure ranging from 1.5 to 1.7.ConclusionOur preliminary results indicate that occupational exposure to cooking fumes is associated with an increased lung cancer risk in women, while exposures to various textile fibres seem to be associated with a decreased lung cancer risk.

Asbestos is a commercial group of strong, ductile, and fire-resistant mineral fibers. These properties, which differ among different mineralogic types of asbestos, strongly affect its in vivo persistence and toxicity. 1 , 2 Chrysotile asbestos, which constitutes about 99 percent of airborne asbestos fibers in the general environment, is cleared much more rapidly from the lung than amphibole asbestos. 3 , 4 It has been recognized for several decades that exposure to asbestos at high levels, as was common among asbestos workers in the first half of this century, can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum. 5 Among asbestos workers, nearly . . .