European researchers have published the results of occupational risks for lymphomas in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).  This was a very large prospective study.

They followed 348,555 people for 9 years.  Cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin’s disease were identified and data on 52 occupations among them was collected using standardized questionnaires.  After adjusting for study center, age, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking and alcohol, car repairers were found to have a 50% increased risk of lymphoma including multiple myeloma (HR=1.50, 95% CI 1.01 – 2.00), and gasoline station workers were found to have a greater than 4-fold risk of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HR=1.51, 95% CI 1.01 – 2.31).  The investigators concluded that occupational exposure to benzene-containing solvents and fuels increases the risk of workers developing lymphoid cancer.

Neasham, D., et al., “Occupation and risk of lymphoma: a multicentre prospective cohort study (EPIC),” Occup. Environ. Med. (Sept. 30, 2010) [Epub ahead of print].