Cancer Incidence by Occupation in Korea: Longitudinal Analysis of a Nationwide Cohort

BACKGROUND: We performed this study to investigate the inequalities in site-specific cancer incidences among workers across different occupations in Korea. METHODS: Subjects included members of the national employment insurance. Incident cancers among 8,744,603 workers were followed from 1995 to 2007. Occupational groups were classified according to the Korean Standard Occupational Classification. Age-standardized incidence rate ratios were calculated. RESULTS: We found that men in service/sales and blue-collar occupations had elevated rates of esophageal, liver, laryngeal, and lung cancer. Among women, service/sales workers had elevated incidences of cervical cancer. Male prostate cancer, female breast, corpus uteri, and ovarian cancers, as well as male and female colorectal, kidney, and thyroid cancer showed lower incidences among workers in lower socioeconomic occupations. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial differences in cancer incidences were found depending on occupation reflecting socioeconomic position, in the Korean working population. Cancer prevention policy should focus on addressing these socioeconomic inequalities.