Risk of multiple myeloma by occupation and industry among men and women: a 24-state death certificate study.

This cancer surveillance investigation uses death certificates from 24 states for the period 1984-1989 to identify multiple myeloma and occupation associations and to stimulate hypotheses. A case-control study of multiple myeloma was created from 3,159,417 certificates in which 12,148 male and female cases were frequency matched by age, race, and gender with five controls per case. We screened 231 industries and 509 occupations. Women demonstrated significant excess risk among managers and administrators, post-secondary teachers, elementary teachers, social workers, other sales workers, waitresses, and hospital maids. Men showed significant risks among computer system scientists, veterinarians, elementary teachers, authors, engineering technicians, general office supervisors, insurance adjusters, barbers, electronic repairers, supervisors of extracting industries, production supervisors, photoengravers, and grader/dozer operators. Men and women elementary school teachers demonstrated the most consistent, statistically significant increased risk of multiple myeloma.