The significance of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and occupation as risk factors for the development of vocal chord dysplasia was evaluated in a case-control study. Twenty-seven male patients with dysplasia of the vocal chords were chosen from the 1. ENT-University Clinic in Vienna (1985–1988) and compared with 54 controls.
The main results are: The relative risk (RR) of a smoker compared to that of a non-smoker for vocal chord dysplasia is 7.27 (6.81–7.73); the RR adjusted for occupation is 3.58 (2.31–4.84). The most important risk factor, however, is occupational exposure. The relative risk of a blue collar worker compared to that of a white collar worker is 11.04 (10.61–11.46), which is reduced only to 10.02 (10.61–11.46) after stratification according to smoking habits.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Auerbach, O., Hammond, E.C. and Garfnkel, L. (1970): Histologic changes in the larynx in relation to smoking habits. - Cancer, 25: 92–104.
Brownson, R.C. (1987): Exposure to alcohol and tobacco and the risk of laryngeal cancer. - Arch. Environ Health, 42: 192–196.
Burch, J.D., Howe, G.R., Miller, A.B. and Semenciw, R. (1981): Tobacco, alcohol, asbestos, and nickel in the etiology of cancer of the larynx: a case-control study. J. nat. Cancer Inst., 67: 1219–1224.
Feuerlein, W. (1984): Alkoholismus - Mißbrauch und Abhängigkeit. Thieme Verlag Stuttgart - New York.
Flanders, W.D. and Rothman, K.J. (1982): Occupational risk for laryngeal cancer. - Amer. J. public Hlth., 72: 369–372.
Flanders, W.D. and Rothman, K.J. (1982): Interaction of alcohol and tobacco in laryngeal cancer. - Amer. J. Epidemiol., 115: 371–379.
Glasenapp, G.B. (1975): Beitrag zur berufsbedingten Entstehung des Kehlkopfkarzinoms. - Laryng. Rhinol. Otol., 54: 565–568.
Henry, C.R. (1979): The transformation of laryngeal leucoplacia to cancer. - The Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 93: 447–459.
Kleinsasser, O. (1963): Die Klassifikation und Differentialdiagnose der Epithelhyperplasien der Kehlkopfschleimhaut auf Grund histomorphologischer Merkmale. - Laryng. Rhinol. Otol., 42: 339–362.
Mantel, N. and Haenzel, W. (1959): Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of diseases. - J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 22: 719–748.
Miettinen, O. (1976): Establishment and estimation in case-referent studies. - Amer. J. Epidemiol., 103:226–235.
Mueller, K.M. and Krohn, B.R. (1980): Smoking habits and their relationship to precancerous lesions of the larynx. - J. Cancer Res. clin. Oncol., 96: 211–217.
US Department of Health and Human Services (1982): The Health Consequences of Smoking. A report of the Surgeon General.
Vutuc, C. (1980): Epidemiologische Untersuchung zur Ätiologie des Bronchuskarzinoms in Österreich. In: “Sozialmedizin des Brochuskarzinoms”. - Eds. Kunze, M. and Vutuc, C. Wien, Facultas Verlag, p. 77–132.
Wilke, J. (1984): Laryngological sreening of industrial workers (galvanizers, spray painters, enamblers). In: Functional Partial Laryngectomy: Convervation Surgery for Carcinoma of the Larynx. Wigand, M.E., Steiner, W., Stell, P.M. - Eds. New York, Springer-Verlag, p. 42–43.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Corresponding author.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grasp, M.C., Neuwirth-Riedl, K., Vutuc, C. et al. Risk of vocal chord dysplasia in relation to smoking, alcohol intake and occupation. Eur J Epidemiol 6, 45–48 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00155548
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00155548