Cancer mortality among service men in the Brazilian Navy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify differences in cancer proportionate mortality among male servicemen of the Brazilian Navy when compared to a referent population and to detect potential occupational risk factors. METHODS: Cancer proportionate mortality was estimated using death certificates and occupational histories of Brazilian navy servicemen aged 19 or more in the period of 1991 to 1995. The population of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) was chosen as referent group because this city concentrates 70% of all Navy servicemen. RESULTS: Servicemen are more likely to die from brain neoplasm (age-adjusted cancer proportionate mortality ratio - ACPMR=339.27), prostate cancer (ACPMR=135.04), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ACPMR=152.28) than the referent population. Health-related occupations show an excess of brain neoplasm (ACPMR=2.7, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1-6.5) and liver cancer (ACPMR=2.9; 95% CI: 1.1- 7.8); colon-rectal cancer was higher among officials of the Army Corp and other administrative occupations (ACPMR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.3 -4.5); larynx cancer (ACPMR=2.3, 95% CI; 1.1, 5.0) is more common among men working in maintenance and repair occupations. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, servicemen of the Brazilian Navy Force have a distinct cancer mortality profile from the general reference population. Risk factors for cancer need to be further evaluated, by using more specific diagnosis and occupational-related exposure data.