Risk of breast cancer is also increased among retired US female airline cabin attendants

EDITOR—An excess incidence of breast cancer has been reported among Finnish1 and Danish2 airline cabin attendants (standardised incidence ratio 1.9 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.2) and 1.6 (0.9 to 2.7) respectively). In a retrospective cohort survey of retired flight attendants from one US airline we also found an excess incidence of breast cancer (standardised incidence ratio=2.0 (1.0 to 4.3)) (unpublished data). Neither of the previous reports identified a cause for this excess incidence. One suggested that, on the basis of estimated exposures, radiation …