Immunoassay of antibodies to benzo[a]pyrene for lung cancer risk diagnosis among coal-mining workers

Abstract

Th e authors detected association of G-class antibodies specifi c to chemical carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (IgG-Bp) with lung cancer in healthy men not working at coal mines. Objective — to reveal possibilities of immunoassay of IgG-Bp in evaluating risk of lung cancer in coal mine workers. Th e study covered serum IgG-Bp in 501 miners aged under 60 (161 healthy, not working in mine; 239 miners; 101 patients with lung cancer), by means of non-concurrent immune-enzyme analysis using benzo[a]pyrene conjugates with bovine serum albumin as an antigen. Findings are that increased levels of IgG-Bp in lung cancer patients are more frequent (50.5%) than in healthy men not working in mine (37.2%, p=0.047, OR=1.7) and in miners (30.5%, p=0.0008, OR=2.3). Length of service in mines did not infl uence serum levels of IgG-Bp in coal industry workers. In the miners, with age adjustment consideration, OR for lung cancer equaled 2.0 (p=0.01), and with adjustment for smoking OR=2.3 (p=0.001). Occupational (work in mine), lifestyle (smoking) and endogenous (age) factors do not have signifi cant infl uence on intensity of individual specifi c reaction to benzo[a]pyrene in males. Immunoassay of IgG-Bp is recommended for lung canc er diagnosis in coal mine workers.