Protective Services

Increased risk of testicular cancer was observed in firefighters and police in the ODSS. It is well documented that firefighters are exposed to various known and suspected carcinogens in fire and smoke [8]. Firefighters may have been exposed to PFOA, which was used in fire-fighting foam in the past [4]. Occupational exposures related to risk of testicular cancer in police is less understood. There is some evidence that microwave emissions from radar guns may be a risk factor due to the proximity of hand-held radar guns to the testicles [5,9-11].

• • Protective service occupations- 1.46 times the risk
    • Firefighters- 2.56 times the risk
    • Policemen and detectives, government- 1.31 times the risk

Product Fabrication and Manufacturing

Elevated risk of testicular cancer was observed in workers involved in aircraft manufacturing, assembly, and repair, which has been observed in previous studies [5,12-13]. Product fabrication and manufacturing occupations may have been exposed to PCBs present in older electrical products and equipment manufactured prior to the 1977 ban on PCB, as the legislation allowed for continued use of PCB equipment until the end of its service life [14]. Electrical product industry workers may have been exposed to PCBs through handling electrical equipment and cable insulation [14-16]. Construction workers in power lighting and wire communications may have been exposed to materials containing PCBs, such as electrical equipment, cable insulation, and adhesives [14-16], and PFOAs, found in electrical wire casing [17]. Workers in other product fabricating, assembling, and repairing occupations may have been exposed to PCBs through oils used in motors and hydraulic systems [14-16]. There is also limited evidence for exposure to hydrocarbon carcinogens and glycol ethers in aircraft handling occupations [5,12-13].

• • Product fabricating, assembling, and repairing occupations- 1.15 times the risk
    • Fabricating and assembling, metal products, not elsewhere classified – 1.46 times the risk
      • Motor vehicle fabricating and assembling, not elsewhere classified- 1.43 times the risk
      • Aircraft fabricating and assembling, not elsewhere classified- 1.85 times the risk
      • Industrial, farm, construction and other mechanized equipment and machinery fabricating and assembling, not elsewhere classified- 1.62 times the risk
      • Inspecting, testing, grading, sampling, fabricating and assembling metal products, not elsewhere classified- 2.23 times the risk
    • Transportation equipment industries- 1.28 times the risk
      • Aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturers- 1.43 times the risk
      • Railroad rolling stock – 2.13 times the risk
    • Mechanic and repair occupations, except electrical- 1.27 times the risk
      • Motor vehicle mechanics and repairmen- 1.29 times the risk
      • Aircraft mechanics and repairmen- 2.02 times the risk
      • Industrial, farm and construction machinery mechanics and repairmen- 1.39 times the risk
      • Mechanics and repairmen, except electrical, not elsewhere classified- 1.38 times the risk
    • Electrical products industries- 1.11 times the risk
      • Communication and electronic equipment manufacturers- 1.64 times the risk
    • Electrical power lighting and wire communications equipment erecting, installing, and repairing occupations- 1.26 times the risk
      • Construction electricians and repairmen- 1.31 times the risk
    • Metal shaping and forming occupations
      • Forging – 2.09 times the risk
      • Welding and flame cutting – 1.05 times the risk

Transportation

Increased risk of testicular cancer was observed in various transportation occupations and industries in the ODSS. Whole body vibration [18] and diesel engine exhaust [4,19] have been linked to other cancer sites and may be potential risk factors in transportation workers. However, there is a lack of evidence supporting associations of these exposures with testicular cancer.

• • Transportation industries- 1.11 times the risk
    • Air transport- 1.38 times the risk
    • Moving and storage, used goods, uncrated- 1.70 times the risk
    • Urban transit systems- 1.39 times the risk
    • Other transportation- 2.03 times the risk

• • Transport equipment operating occupations- 1.29 times the risk
    • Motor transport operating – 1.33 times the risk
      • Bus drivers- 2.07 times the risk
      • Taxi drivers and chauffeurs- 3.13 times the risk
      • Truck drivers- 1.21 times the risk
      • Motor transport operating, not elsewhere classified- 1.61 times the risk

Figure 1. Risk of testicular cancer diagnosis among workers employed in each industry group relative to all others, Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS), 1999-2020

The hazard ratio is an estimate of the average time to diagnosis among workers in each industry/occupation group divided by that in all others during the study period. Hazard ratios above 1.00 indicate a greater risk of disease in a given group compared to all others. Estimates are adjusted for birth year and sex. The width of the 95% Confidence Interval (CI) is based on the number of cases in each group (more cases narrows the interval).

Figure 2. Risk of testicular cancer diagnosis among workers employed in each occupation group relative to all others, Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS), 1999-2020 

The hazard ratio is an estimate of the average time to diagnosis among workers in each industry/occupation group divided by that in all others during the study period. Hazard ratios above 1.00 indicate a greater risk of disease in a given group compared to all others. Estimates are adjusted for birth year and sex. The width of the 95% Confidence Interval (CI) is based on the number of cases in each group (more cases narrows the interval).

Table 1. Surveillance of Testicular Cancer: Number of cases, workers employed, and hazard ratios in each industry (SIC)

Table 2. Surveillance of Testicular Cancer: Number of cases, workers employed, and hazard ratios in each occupation (CCDO) group