Occupation and Tongue Cancer in Nordic Countries

Overview

Journal BMC Oral Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Dentistry

Date 2024 Apr 29

PMID 38685000

Authors

Johanna Peltonen

Rayan Nikkila

Ahmed Al-Samadi

Antti Makitie

Jan Ivar Martinsen

Kristina Kjaerheim

Elsebeth Lynge

Par Sparen

Laufey Tryggvadottir

Elisabete Weiderpass

Tuula Salo

Eero Pukkala

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Almost 200,000 tongue cancers were diagnosed worldwide in 2020. The aim of this study was to describe occupational risk variation in this malignancy.

Methods: The data are based on the Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) study containing 14.9 million people from the Nordic countries with 9020 tongue cancers diagnosed during 1961-2005. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of tongue cancer in each occupational category was calculated using national incidence rates as the reference.

Results: Among men, the incidence was statistically significantly elevated in waiters (SIR 4.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.13--5.92), beverage workers (SIR 3.42, 95% CI 2.02-5.40), cooks and stewards (SIR 2.55, 95% CI 1.82-3.48), seamen (SIR 1.66, 95% CI 1.36-2.00), journalists (SIR 1.85, 95% CI 1.18-2.75), artistic workers (SIR 2.05, 95% CI 1.54-2.66), hairdressers (SIR 2.17, 95% CI 1.39-3.22), and economically inactive persons (SIR 1.57, 95% CI 1.42-1.73). Among women, the SIR was statistically significantly elevated only in waitresses (SIR 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.81). Statistically significant SIRs ≤ 0.63 were observed in male farmers, gardeners, forestry workers and teachers, and in female launderers.

Conclusions: These findings may be related to consumption of alcohol and tobacco, but the effect of carcinogenic exposure from work cannot be excluded.

Citing Articles

Association between exposure to environmental pollutants and increased oral health risks, a comprehensive review.

Zhu L, Tang M, Cai Y, Wang P Front Public Health. 2025; 12():1482991.

PMID: 39835314 PMC: 11743627. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1482991.

References

Dahlgren L, Mellin Dahlstrand H, Lindquist D, Hogmo A, Bjornestal L, Lindholm J . Human papillomavirus is more common in base of tongue than in mobile tongue cancer and is a favorable prognostic factor in base of tongue cancer patients. Int J Cancer. 2004; 112(6):1015-9. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.20490. View

Kjaerheim K, Mykletun R, Aasland O, Haldorsen T, Andersen A . Heavy drinking in the restaurant business: the role of social modelling and structural factors of the work-place. Addiction. 1995; 90(11):1487-95. DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1995.901114877.x. View

Ng J, Iyer N, Tan M, Edgren G . Changing epidemiology of oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue: A global study. Head Neck. 2016; 39(2):297-304. DOI: 10.1002/hed.24589. View

Pukkala E, Martinsen J, Lynge E, Gunnarsdottir H, Sparen P, Tryggvadottir L . Occupation and cancer - follow-up of 15 million people in five Nordic countries. Acta Oncol. 2009; 48(5):646-790. DOI: 10.1080/02841860902913546. View

Li R, Koch W, Fakhry C, Gourin C . Distinct epidemiologic characteristics of oral tongue cancer patients. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013; 148(5):792-6. DOI: 10.1177/0194599813477992. View

Bektas-Kayhan K, Karagoz G, Kesimli M, Karadeniz A, Meral R, Altun M . Carcinoma of the tongue: a case-control study on etiologic factors and dental trauma. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014; 15(5):2225-9. DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.5.2225. View

Annertz K, Anderson H, Palmer K, Wennerberg J . The increase in incidence of cancer of the tongue in the Nordic countries continues into the twenty-first century. Acta Otolaryngol. 2012; 132(5):552-7. DOI: 10.3109/00016489.2011.649146. View

Soland T, Bjerkli I, Georgsen J, Schreurs O, Jebsen P, Laurvik H . High-risk human papilloma virus was not detected in a Norwegian cohort of oral squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue. Clin Exp Dent Res. 2020; 7(1):70-77. PMC: 7853882. DOI: 10.1002/cre2.342. View

Behnoud F, Torabian S, Zargaran M . Relationship between oral poor hygiene and broken teeth with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Acta Med Iran. 2011; 49(3):159-62. View

10.

Dholam K, Chouksey G . Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx in patients aged 18-45 years: A case-control study to evaluate the risk factors with emphasis on stress, diet, oral hygiene, and family history. Indian J Cancer. 2017; 53(2):244-251. DOI: 10.4103/0019-509X.197725. View

11.

Singhvi H, Malik A, Chaturvedi P . The Role of Chronic Mucosal Trauma in Oral Cancer: A Review of Literature. Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol. 2017; 38(1):44-50. PMC: 5398106. DOI: 10.4103/0971-5851.203510. View

12.

Pires F, Ramos A, Oliveira J, Tavares A, Luz P, Santos T . Oral squamous cell carcinoma: clinicopathological features from 346 cases from a single oral pathology service during an 8-year period. J Appl Oral Sci. 2013; 21(5):460-7. PMC: 3881836. DOI: 10.1590/1679-775720130317. View

13.

Norstrom T, Sundin E, Muller D, Leifman H . Hazardous drinking among restaurant workers. Scand J Public Health. 2012; 40(7):591-5. DOI: 10.1177/1403494812456634. View

14.

Ganesh D, Sreenivasan P, Ohman J, Wallstrom M, Braz-Silva P, Giglio D . Potentially Malignant Oral Disorders and Cancer Transformation. Anticancer Res. 2018; 38(6):3223-3229. DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.12587. View

15.

Halonen P, Jakobsson M, Heikinheimo O, Riska A, Gissler M, Pukkala E . Cancer risk of Lichen planus: A cohort study of 13,100 women in Finland. Int J Cancer. 2017; 142(1):18-22. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31025. View

16.

Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel R, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A . Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021; 71(3):209-249. DOI: 10.3322/caac.21660. View

17.

Homann N, Tillonen J, Rintamaki H, Salaspuro M, Lindqvist C, Meurman J . Poor dental status increases acetaldehyde production from ethanol in saliva: a possible link to increased oral cancer risk among heavy drinkers. Oral Oncol. 2001; 37(2):153-8. DOI: 10.1016/s1368-8375(00)00076-2. View

18.

Jouhi L, Halme E, Irjala H, Saarilahti K, Koivunen P, Pukkila M . Epidemiological and treatment-related factors contribute to improved outcome of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in Finland. Acta Oncol. 2017; 57(4):541-551. DOI: 10.1080/0284186X.2017.1400688. View

19.

Sgaramella N, Coates P, Strindlund K, Loljung L, Colella G, Laurell G . Expression of p16 in squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue is independent of HPV infection despite presence of the HPV-receptor syndecan-1. Br J Cancer. 2015; 113(2):321-6. PMC: 4506391. DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.207. View

20.

. Some aromatic amines, organic dyes, and related exposures. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum. 2011; 99:1-658. PMC: 5046080. View