Multiple myeloma, leukemia, and cancer of the ovary in cosmetologists and hairdressers.

In order to evaluate occupational mortality, age standardized proportional mortality ratios (PMR) were calculated for 160 female cosmetologists and hairdressers and 1,001 male barbers and hairdressers utilizing cause of death and occupation statements from British Columbia death registrations collected from 1950 to 1978. Female cosmetologists had elevated risks of death from multiple myeloma (PMR = 619, p = .03) and ovarian cancer (PMR = 204, p = .09). Male barbers and hairdressers had no corresponding elevated risk of myeloma but had a significantly high risk of death from leukemia (PMR = 188, p = .05). Further detailed studies of these occupations would be worthwhile to confirm and extend these findings.