Bladder Cancer Risk in Relation to Occupations Held in a Nationwide Case-Control Study in Iran Publisher Pubmed



Hosseini B^{1, 2} ; Zendehdel K^{2, 3} ; Bouaoun L¹ ; Hall AL⁴ ; Rashidian H² ; Hadji M^{2, 5} ; Gholipour M⁶ ; Haghdoost AA^{7, 8} ; Schuz J¹ ; Olsson A¹ Show Affiliations
Source: International Journal of Cancer Published:2023

Abstract

Globally, bladder cancer has been identified as one of the most frequent occupational cancers, but our understanding of occupational bladder cancer risk in Iran is less advanced. This study aimed to assess the risk of bladder cancer in relation to occupation in Iran. We used the IROPICAN case-control study data including 717 incident cases and 3477 controls. We assessed the risk of bladder cancer in relation to ever working in major groups of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-68) while controlling for cigarette smoking, opium consumption. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). In men, decreased ORs for bladder cancer were observed in administrative and managerial workers (OR 0.4; CI: 0.2, 0.9), and clerks (OR 0.6; CI: 0.4, 0.9). Elevated ORs were observed in metal processors (OR 5.4; CI: 1.3, 23.4), and workers in occupations with likely exposure to aromatic amines (OR 2.2; CI: 1.2, 4.0). There was no evidence of interactions between working in aromatic amines-exposed occupations and tobacco smoking or opium use. Elevated risk of bladder cancer in men in metal processors and workers likely exposed to aromatic amines aligns with associations observed outside Iran. Other previously confirmed associations between high-risk occupations and bladder cancer were not observed, possibly due to small numbers or lack of details on exposure. Future epidemiological studies in Iran would benefit from the development of exposure assessment tools such as job exposure matrices, generally applicable for retrospective exposure assessment in epidemiological studies. © 2023 International Agency for Research on Cancer. International Agency for Research on Cancer retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.