Early work associated with modestly higher cancer odds in older Ecuadorians

Adults who began working in childhood or adolescence had modestly higher odds of reporting cancer later in life than those who started work between ages 18 and 25, according to a cross-sectional analysis of 3,791 people aged 60 and older in mainland Ecuador. The study also found substantially higher odds of cancer among participants who did not begin work until ages 26–35, showing that the observed pattern was not confined to early starters. Because the research analyzed associations at one point in time, it cannot establish that the age at which someone began working caused cancer.

Researchers used data from the 2009 Health, Well-being, and Aging Survey, abbreviated SABE. They categorized participants by age at first work: 5–12 years, 13–17 years, 18–25 years and 26–35 years. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate associations between these categories and self-reported cancer, with adjustments for sociodemographic and early-life factors. Participants whose first work began at ages 18–25 formed the reference group.

Compared with that reference group, people who started working at ages 5–12 had 1.087 times the odds of reporting cancer, or about 8.7% higher odds. Those who began between ages 13 and 17 had 1.156 times the odds, corresponding to about 15.6% higher odds. The investigators characterized these estimates as statistically significant but modest. The largest association appeared among people who started work at ages 26–35, who had 3.477 times the odds of reporting cancer compared with the reference group. That estimate should not be read as showing that beginning work later causes cancer: the cross-sectional design does not establish causation or demonstrate why the groups differed.

The findings provide an initial look at a possible long-term association between early labor and cancer in later life, but the authors described the work as a first step. Cancer status and age at first work were self-reported, and the observational analysis could not rule out effects from factors not fully addressed by the statistical adjustment. The data also came from a single survey conducted in 2009, rather than from repeated follow-up of participants. The researchers said longitudinal research would be needed to clarify the mechanisms, test whether the associations persist and strengthen causal inference. Their results do not demonstrate that child labor produces higher cancer risk, but they add a reason to examine that possible connection more closely.

Subject of Research: Association between age at first work and self-reported cancer among older adults in Ecuador

Article Title: Early labor and its long-term impact on cancer risk among older adults in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study analysis

Article References: Rizzo-Diaz, N., & Faytong-Haro, M. (2026). Early labor and its long-term impact on cancer risk among older adults in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study analysis. BMC Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-026-16768-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12885-026-16768-8

Keywords: early labor, child labor, cancer odds, older adults, Ecuador, cross-sectional study, SABE survey, multivariable logistic regression, self-reported cancer, health disparities, Early, labor