Socioeconomic and occupational risk factors for pancreatic cancer: a cohort study in Sweden.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the associations between socioeconomic/occupational factors and pancreatic cancer. The Swedish Family-Cancer Database was used to calculate standardized incidence ratios for different social classes and occupational groups. Lung cancer risks were also determined. The reference group was all the economically active population. Farmers were at a decreased risk of pancreatic cancer. A slightly increased risk of pancreatic cancer, independent of lung cancer, was observed for male professionals and administrators and managers. For women, increased risks were observed for cooks and stewards, and glass, ceramic, and tile workers. The results show that socioeconomic/occupational factors play a small role in the etiology of pancreatic cancer. In addition to smoking, physical inactivity and obesity may contribute to the observed differences.