Cancer mortality among Brazilian painters of the South and Southeast Region of Brazil

Abstract As a result of their professional activity, painters come in regular contact with significant amounts of genotoxic and carcinogenic substances and may have increased risk for various diseases, including some cancers. This study aimed to compare the mortality by specific cancers among painters and the general population from the South and Southeast regions of Brazil from 1996 to 2013. Data on cancer deaths were obtained from the Brazilian Mortality Information System, according to ICD-10. To determine the risk of death from specific cancers, we calculated the mortality odds ratio (MOR), stratified by age (25-44 years and 45-64 years) and region. Older painters of the South and Southeast regions had a higher chance to die by oropharyngeal (MOR=1.73; 95% CI 1.51 to 1.98), hypopharynx (MOR=1.56; 95% CI 1.20 -2.03) and larynx cancer (MOR=1.45; 95% CI 1.32 to 1.61) when compared to the general population. These results suggest that painters may be at greater risk of becoming ill and dying from specific cancers from the upper respiratory tract.