Occupation and Thyroid Cancer: A Population-Based, Case-Control Study in Connecticut

Objective:The study aims to explore the associations between various occupations and thyroid cancer risk.Methods:A population-based, case-control study involving 462 histologically confirmed incident cases and 498 controls was conducted in Connecticut in 2010 to 2011.Results:A significantly increased risk of thyroid cancer, particularly papillary microcarcinoma, was observed for those working as the health care practitioners and technical workers, health diagnosing and treating practitioners, and registered nurses. Those working in building and grounds cleaning, maintenance occupations, pest control, retail sales, and customer service also had increased risk for papillary thyroid cancer. Subjects who worked as cooks, janitors, cleaners, and customer service representatives were at an increased risk of papillary thyroid cancer with tumor size more than 1cm.Conclusion:Certain occupations were associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer, with some tumor size and subtype specificity.