{Reference Type}: Journal Article {Title}: Occupation and tongue cancer in Nordic countries. {Author}: Peltonen J;Nikkilä R;Al-Samadi A;Mäkitie A;Martinsen JI;Kjaerheim K;Lynge E;Sparen P;Tryggvadottir L;Weiderpass E;Salo T;Pukkala E; {Journal}: BMC Oral Health {Volume}: 24 {Issue}: 1 {Year}: 2024 Apr 29 {Factor}: 3.747 {DOI}: 10.1186/s12903-024-04172-2 {Abstract}: OBJECTIVE: Almost 200,000 tongue cancers were diagnosed worldwide in 2020. The aim of this study was to describe occupational risk variation in this malignancy.
METHODS: The data are based on the Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) study containing 14.9 million people from the Nordic countries with 9020 tongue cancers diagnosed during 1961-2005. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of tongue cancer in each occupational category was calculated using national incidence rates as the reference.
RESULTS: Among men, the incidence was statistically significantly elevated in waiters (SIR 4.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.13--5.92), beverage workers (SIR 3.42, 95% CI 2.02-5.40), cooks and stewards (SIR 2.55, 95% CI 1.82-3.48), seamen (SIR 1.66, 95% CI 1.36-2.00), journalists (SIR 1.85, 95% CI 1.18-2.75), artistic workers (SIR 2.05, 95% CI 1.54-2.66), hairdressers (SIR 2.17, 95% CI 1.39-3.22), and economically inactive persons (SIR 1.57, 95% CI 1.42-1.73). Among women, the SIR was statistically significantly elevated only in waitresses (SIR 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.81). Statistically significant SIRs ≤ 0.63 were observed in male farmers, gardeners, forestry workers and teachers, and in female launderers.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings may be related to consumption of alcohol and tobacco, but the effect of carcinogenic exposure from work cannot be excluded.