Airline crews at greater risk of cancer says study
studies of cancer among the group to date.
In all, 5,366 attendants working on domestic and international flights in the US were examined.
Researchers said the findings are particularly worrying considering the relative good health of the flight attendants included in the tests.
Previous studies also recorded a higher cancer risk in cabin crew.
Dr Irina Mordukhovich, one of the report’s authors, said: “Consistent with previous studies, we report a higher lifetime prevalence of breast, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers among flight crew relative to the general population. This is striking given the low rates of being overweight and smoking in this occupational group.”
The authors found an association between each five years of time spent working as a flight attendant and non-melanoma skin cancer among women.
Length of service did not appear to be a factor with breast cancer, thyroid cancer or melanoma in all women.
But time served was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer in women who never had children and women who had three or more children, researchers said. Any current or former US flight attendant was eligible to participate.
A large majority, 91 per cent of participants, were or had been cabin crew.
Authors said the findings, published in the journal Environmental Health, suggested more should be done to minimise the risk of cancer among flight attendants.
Measures included monitoring radiation doses and organising work schedules.
The study did not examine the health impact of frequent flying among airline passengers.