Proposal for a Study of the Incidence and Occupational Distribution of Testicular Neoplasms in United States Air Force Personnel

摘要

Testicular cancer is a relatively rare neoplasm which affects males of any age but predominantly those 15-44 years old. While age-adjusted mortality in the US has not varied significantly over the past 50 years, age-adjusted incidence has quadrupled over the same time period. The only strongly positive risk factor for testicular cancer, accounting for less than 10% of cases, is cryptorchidism. Many other risk factors have been suggested in the clinical and epidemiologic literature but supporting evidence is inconclusive since most researchers are hampered by small populations making it difficult to test any single hypothesis. This proposal suggests utilizing the large (500,000) high risk (20-44 years of age) male population of the United States Air Force (USAF) to conduct a 10-year (1975-1984) historical cohort study of testicular cancer in active duty USAF personnel. Comparison of USAF testicular cancer incidence rates against US national rates calculated from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program would be accomplished. In addition, a case comparison study nested in the historical cohort would look for association of testicular cancer with occupations, using the Armed Forces Specialty Code (AFSC), as a broad indicator of job type. From analysis of this data specific, testable hypotheses as to testicular cancer etiology could be developed.