Correlation of Occupational Exposure and Risk of Genitourinary Malignancies: A Canadian Population Study

Objectives: Examining the impact of occupational exposure on malignancy is important in risk stratifying individual patients. To this end, our analyses focus on explaining the industrial effects on bladder, kidney and prostate cancer. Methods: Data were obtained from a population-based linked dataset, Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort. Approximately 2.7 million people aged 25 or older who responded to the 1991 long-form Census questionnaire were linked with the Canadian Cancer Registry. Inclusion criteria included diagnosis between June 4, 1991, and December 31, 2010. Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to predict incidences of cancer with the agricultural industry as a reference point. Sex-specific analyses were then carried out. Results: Bladder cancer was diagnosed in 6970 men and 1665 women. The real estate industry was associated with increased risk for both sexes (men: hazard ratio [HR] 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.62, p<0.01; women: HR 1.63; 95% CI: 1.12-2.37, p< 0.05). Kidney cancer incidence was 4380 men and 1900 women. Health and social service was the only industry with increased risk for both men (HR 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04-1.62, p<0.05) and women (HR 1.36; 95% CI: 1.01-1.83, p<0.05). Prostate cancer incidence was 35220 men. A number of industries had a lower risk of prostate cancer diagnoses, such as accommodation and food (HR 0.77; 95% CI: 0.70-0.84, p<0.0001), when compared to the agriculture industry. Conclusions: Multivariate analysis, controlling for socioeconomic factors, found effects of real estate industry and health and social service consistently for both sexes in bladder and kidney cancer diagnosis, respectively. Prostate cancer incidence was highest in men from the agriculture industry.