Occupation of father at time of birth of children dying of malignant diseases

Abstract

Occupation of father at time of birth was ascertained for a series of 386 children who died of malignant disease before age 5 during the years 1965-70 in the province of Quebec and a control group of 772 children whose birth registration immediately preceded and followed that of each case in the official files. The comparison of cases with controls showed a significant excess of fathers in hydrocarbon-related occupations among the cases with relative odds of 2·1. These occupations included, in particular, motor-vehicle mechanics, machinists, miners, and painters. On the other hand, cases and controls did not differ with regard to place of residence of parents or mean paternal age. The possible role of father's occupation in the risk of malignant disease of his offspring seems to deserve further investigation.