Research finds link between night work and breast cancer

New evidence of a link between breast cancer and night work has been published by Johnni Hansen a specialist at Copenhagen's Institute of Cancer Epidemiology. The findings were previewed at a conference held jointly by the Danish Cancer Society, the Danish Women Workers' Union and the Danish General Workers' Union.

They show that 30- to 54-year-old women who work night shifts in selected trades for at least half a year are 50% more likely to develop primary breast cancer than women generally. The risk tends to increase in women who work nights long-term.

Although a number of descriptive studies in the past have shown significantly higher breast cancer rates among night workers, this is thought to be the first survey that uses reliable nationwide statistics.

For further information see Epidemiology, January 2001, Vol 12, No. 1, pp 74-77.