Incidence and occupational variation of ovarian granulosa cell tumours in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden during 1953-2012: a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the incidence and occupational variation of granulosa cell tumours (GCTs) in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden over a 60-year period, 1953-2012.

Design: A longitudinal cohort study.

Setting and population: Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and a total of 249 million women over a 60-year period (1953-2012). The NOCCA (Nordic Occupational Cancer Study) included 6.4 million women with 776 incident GCT cases diagnosed until the end of follow up.

Methods: Incidence rates were calculated from the national cancer registries and compared using quasi-Poisson regression models. Occupation-specific standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated from the Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) database.

Main outcome measures: Incidence rates and standardised incidence ratios.

Results: The age-adjusted (World Standard) incidence rates remained quite constant: about 0.6-0.8 per 100 000 for most of the study period. The age-specific incidence was highest at 50-64 years of age. There were no occupations with significantly increased risk of GCT. Major changes in the use of oral contraceptives, postmenopausal hormonal therapy, fertility rate and lifestyle in general during the study period and among different occupational categories do not appear to have a marked effect on the incidence of GCT.

Conclusion: Our findings support the concept of GCT as a primarily sporadic, not exposure-related, cancer.

Tweetable abstract: The Nordic incidence rates of GCTs show stability over time and among different occupational categories.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Nordic; granulosa cell tumour; incidence; occupational.