PT Journal AU Videnros, C Selander, J Wiebert, P Albin, M Plato, N Borgquist, S Manjer, J Gustavsson, P TI Postmenopausal breast cancer and occupational exposure to chemicals SO Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PD 11VL PY 2019 BP 642 EP 650 IS 6 DI 10.5271/sjweh.3822 WP https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3822 DE breast cancer; cancer; chemical; cohort study; confounding; exposure to chemicals; invasive breast cancer; JEM; job-exposure matrix; occupational environment; occupational exposure; occupational exposure to chemicals; population attributable fraction; postmenopausal breast cancer; tumor SN 0355-3140 AB '

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OBJECTIVES ': 'The aim of this study was to investigate if exposure to chemicals in the workplace was associated with an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.

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METHODS ': 'The study comprised women born 1923–1950 living in Malmö city, Sweden, 1991–1996, and enrolled for a prospective population cohort study. Occupational exposure to various chemicals was assessed from job-exposure matrices. An extensive set of individual data on hormonal breast cancer risk factors were collected via a baseline questionnaire and used for confounding control. First time diagnoses of invasive breast cancer were identified through the Swedish Cancer Registry until end of follow-up on 31 December 2013.

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RESULTS ': 'Of 16 084 women, 1011 were diagnosed with breast cancer. Women exposed to chemicals in their occupational environment had a statistically significant increased risk [adjusted hazard ratio (HRadj) 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.54] of breast cancer, and the risk correlated with duration of exposure. Investigation of risk in association with specific chemicals showed a non-significantly elevated risk after exposure to organic solvents. More than ten years of exposure to diesel exhaust was associated with an increased risk (HRadj 1.69, 95% CI 1.01–2.82). Occupational chemical exposures account for 2% of the breast cancer cases in this population.

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CONCLUSIONS ': 'Occupational exposure to chemicals in general was associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer. A slight elevation of risk was seen after exposure to organic solvents. A statistically significant elevation of risk after >10 years of exposure to diesel exhaust was an unexpected finding.

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