Occupational Cancer Research Articles

CASE STUDY ON SMALL LUNG CELL CARCINOMA IN A 26-YEAR-OLD MALE

Introduction: A small-cell lung carcinoma is an aggressive form of lung cancer that is strongly associated with cigarette smoking and tends to early disseminate in the body. It represents about 20 per cent of all lung cancer. Increasing evidence has implicated autocrine growth loops, proto-oncogenes, and tumour-suppressor genes in its development as well as cigarette smoking, exposure to occupational carcinogens such as radon, asbestos, arsenic, crystalline silicon and benzopyrene e.t.c.
 Materials and Methods: This case study reports the management of suspected small lung cell cancer in a resource-limited centre diagnosed from transthoracic pleural biopsy in a 26-year-old male who had a history of cigarette smoking from preteen years (9 years). He was stabilized at the emergency with insertion of chest tube, antibiotics, analgesics and oxygen but couldn't commence treatment for lung cancer owing to the late diagnostic test done as a result of severe financial constraints and died three weeks post-hospital admission.
 Results: This case shows that early exposure to risk factors associated with lung cancer such as cigarette smoking, exposure to harmful chemicals in Plaster of Paris can lead to aggressive lung cancers like small cell lung cancer in young people.
 Recommendations: Increase public awareness of tobacco smoking in all age groups, adequate healthcare financing and insurance schemes and adequate funding for small cell lung cancer research to improve and promote prevention, early detection and proper treatment of the disease.

Occupational Exposures and Lung Cancer Risk-An Analysis of the CARTaGENE Study.

To determine the associations between prevalent occupational agents and lung cancer risk. A case-cohort design (ncases= 147; nsub-cohort= 1,032) was nested within the CARTaGENE prospective cohort study. The Canadian Job Exposure Matrix was used to determine the probability of exposure to 27 agents in participants' longest-held jobs. Multivariable logistic regression with robust variance estimators was used to determine the associations between each agent and lung cancer risk while adjusting for established lung cancer risk factors. Increased lung cancer risk was observed among those exposed to ashes, calcium sulfate, formaldehyde, cooking fumes, alkanes, aliphatic aldehydes, and cleaning agents. Lower lung cancer risk was found among participants exposed to carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum. Our findings support the role of several occupational agents, for which we have limited knowledge, in contributing to lung cancer risk.

Cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish merchant seafarers between 1985 and 2011

PurposeLung cancer, mesothelioma and several lifestyle-associated cancer forms have been reported more common in merchant seafarers. However, few studies reflect recent occupational settings and women seafarers are usually too scarce for meaningful analyses. We conducted a study on cancer incidence between 1985 and 2011 in a Swedish cohort consisting of male and female seafarers.MethodsAll seafarers in the Swedish Seafarers’ Register with at least one sea service between 1985 and 2011 and a cumulated sea service time of ≥ 30 days (N = 75,745; 64% men, 36% women; 1,245,691 person-years) were linked to the Swedish Cancer Register and followed-up until 31 December 2011. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated with the general population as reference.ResultsThere were 4159 cancer cases in total, with 3221 among men and 938 among women. Male seafarers had an increased risk of total cancer (SIR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01–1.09), lung cancer (SIR 1.51; 95% CI 1.35–1.67) and urinary bladder cancer (SIR 1.17; 95% CI 1.02–1.33). Several lifestyle-associated cancer forms were more common in men. Previous work on tankers was associated with leukaemia (SIR 1.41; 95% CI 1.00–1.86). The risk of cancer decreased with a start as a male seafarer after 1985, with a significant trend for total cancer (P < 0.001), lung cancer (P = 0.001) and, for tanker seafarers, leukaemia (P = 0.045). Women seafarers had an increased risk of lung cancer (SIR 1.54; 95% CI 1.23–1.87) but the risk of total cancer was not increased (SIR 0.83; 95% CI 0.78–0.89).ConclusionsIn this cohort of merchant Swedish seafarers 1985–2011, the risk of total cancer was increased in men but not in women compared to the general population. Lung cancer was increased in both genders. The risk of cancer seems to decrease over the last decades, but better exposure assessments to occupational carcinogens and longer observation times are needed.

Hazard Levels of Cooking Fumes in Republic of Korea Schools

Background and PurposeIn 2021, lung cancer in school food workers was first recognized as an occupational cancer. The classification of the carcinogenicity of cooking fumes by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was based on Chinese epidemiological data. This study aimed to determine the hazard levels of school cooking fumes in Korea. Materials and MethodsBased on public school cafeterias in one area, 25 locations were selected for the survey according to the number per school type, ventilation states, and environmental pre-assessments of cafeterias. Two inside cooking areas using a heat source and one outside cooking area were selected as control measurement points. Measurements of CO, CO2, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), including benzene, formaldehyde, and particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1, respectively), were taken. The concentrations and patterns of each substance in the kitchens were compared with the outdoor air quality. ResultKnown carcinogens, such as the concentrations of PAHs, formaldehyde, TVOC (benzene), and particulate matter in school cooking fumes, were all detected at similar or slightly higher levels than those found outside. Additionally, substances were detected at relatively low concentrations compared to the Chinese cooking fumes reported in the literature. However, the short-term exposure to high concentrations of CO (or composite exposure with CO2) and PM2.5 in this study were shown. ConclusionThe school cooking fumes in South Korea was a relatively less harmful than Chinese cooking fumes, however short-term, high exposure of toxic substances can cause a critical health effect.

Asbesto como carcinógeno ocupacional en Colombia: desde la biología molecular hasta la salud pública

Asbestos is the name assigned for decades to a group of fibrous materials with multiple commercial uses. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans, and can cause lung cancer, larynx cancer, ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and other related diseases. On July 11, 2019 was promulgated in Colombia the Law 1968 Ana Cecilia Nino that prohibits to exploit, produce, commercialize, import, distribute or export any variety of asbestos and the products made with it in the national territory. With the objective of generating a wide panorama on the asbestos as occupational carcinogen in Colombia, the present review approaches four fundamental perspectives of interest: the molecular and cellular mechanisms, the molecular pathology, the clinical research and the public health in Colombia.

Occupational cancer: Future opportunities and challenges

Occupational cancer: Future opportunities and challenges

Occupational exposure and cancer: an umbrella review

Resumo Objetivo: fornecer uma visão geral das associações entre exposição ocupacional e risco da ocorrência ou morte por câncer. Métodos: esta revisão guarda-chuva da literatura utilizou as bases Medline e Web of Science. A partir de protocolo de busca, foram incluídas metanálises para diversas circunstâncias ocupacionais e cânceres selecionados que possuíssem algum nível de evidência para associação com ocupação. Resultados: foram incluídas 37 metanálises, abrangendo 18 localizações de câncer. Considerando a avaliação da heterogeneidade dos estudos, da qualidade da evidência e da força de associação, obteve-se evidências altamente sugestivas de associações entre exposição a solvente e mieloma múltiplo; amianto e câncer de pulmão; hidrocarbonetos e câncer de trato aerodigestivo superior; e estresse ocupacional e câncer colorretal. Conclusão: há evidências robustas para associar exposições ocupacionais e tipos de câncer não previstos, inicialmente, nas orientações de vigilância do câncer relacionado ao trabalho no Brasil. Permanecem lacunas sobre exposições de grande relevância, que carecem de metanálises mais consistentes, por exemplo, exposição a poeiras inorgânicas e câncer de pulmão e mesotelioma; exposição a solventes e tumores hematológicos. Evidências de câncer em outras regiões anatômicas foram menos robustas, apresentando indícios de incerteza ou viés.

Strategies for Quality Controls in Occupational Breast Cancer Screening

職域検診の精度管理のために，検診施設がどのように取り組んだらよいかを明らかにする目的で，２０１７―２０１９年度の職域検診を対象に，１）団体との契約内容，２）精度管理の現状，３）検診の概要，４）当施設の成績，５）精検施設別の成績を検討した。 その結果，精度管理のための取り組みとは，１）保険者・事業者には，がん検診の正しい情報を説明し，精度管理に必要な項目，例えば，検診方法，受診年齢，検診間隔，精検結果の把握，精検未受診者に対する受診勧奨，精検施設の指定などを含めて，契約書を作成させること，２）被保険者・職員には，がん検診の正しい情報を説明し，保険者・事業者に正しい検診を希望させ，受診とともに，要精検と判定された場合は精検受診させること，３）検診施設の経営者には，精度管理の重要性を説明して，検診施設の精度管理のレベルを一定の基準以上にすることであると考える。

Disease burden of occupational skin cancer and global Call to Action

Disease burden of occupational skin cancer and global Call to Action

Special Session 18 Strategies to address the increasing burden of Occupational skin cancer

Special Session 18 Strategies to address the increasing burden of Occupational skin cancer

Lung cancer and occupational exposure: hospital-based case-control study.

To analyze the relationship between occupation and lung cancer in patients at a national referral hospital for cancer care in southern Brazil. Hospital-based case-control study conducted between February and October 2019. Occupational histories were coded according to international classifications and translated into occupations associated with lung cancer (List A and B). The odds ratios were adjusted for smoking, with a 95% confidence interval, calculated by conditional logistic regression. 99 cases and 227 controls were included. Among men, the occupation of painters (list A) was associated with lung cancer (OR = 14.3; 95% CI: 1.8-116.5), there were no occupations in list B associated with lung cancer. In women, no increased risks were found. It has been shown that exposure to occupational carcinogens among repair and construction painters increases the risk of lung cancer.

Occupational cancers: essentials for the general practioners

Given the frequency of cancers, prevention is based on knowledge of the causes. Experts estimate the proportion of cancers attributable to work at around 5 %. If it is shown that exposure at work is involved, the patient can claim compensation for an occupational disease. In order for the occupational origin to be identified, it is important to know which jobs/sectors of activity are possibly at risk. The aim of this article is to present the six main cancer sites for which a link with occupational exposure has been documented, to specify the causes of the under-reporting of occupational cancers, the role of the treating physician working in a multidisciplinary network, and the tools and practical advice for optimizing the support to patients/their relatives.

Occupational cancer illness in Brazil: an integrative literature review

Occupational cancer illness in Brazil: an integrative literature review

Factors affecting firefighter occupational cancer risk adjustment

Recent research has shown firefighters are at a higher risk for cancer diagnosis than the general population. Experts have offered six hazard adjustments that may assist in reducing the level of exposure to carcinogens. This study was conducted to better understand what motivates or deters firefighters from engaging in these hazard adjustments. The sample was firefighters who had attended or were otherwise associated with the Alabama Fire College (Alabama, USA). An internet survey was administered to collect the data. The participant recruitment email was opened by 1,539 individuals, and 358 responses were received, giving a response rate of 23%. The findings suggest that firefighters' occupational cancer risk perceptions are high. Also, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and cost of engaging in the behavior were much more reliable predictors of intention and actual hazard adjustment than risk perception, salience, and exposure. The concept of peer perception is used in this Protection Motivation Theory study, which also affects firefighters’ completion of hazard adjustment. The findings of this study will assist fire service leaders in adapting education programs, policies, and procedures to better protect firefighters from occupational cancer risk.

Firefighters and Cancer: A Review of the Current State of Cancer Incidences and Recent Trends in Risk Perception and Risk Reduction Efforts

Objective: This paper provides a review of current knowledge and trends in research on firefighters cancer risks and risk reduction efforts and calls for future research focused on European and international firefighters to understand and reduce occupational cancer risk. Cancer incidence: Firefighters face increased occupational cancer risk. Firefighting has been linked with multiple types of cancer, including bladder, colorectal, brain and central nervous system, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, skin melanoma, and prostate and testicular cancer, with several others types of cancer being found at increased rates. Cancer risks: Increased occupational cancer risk is, in part, related to carcinogenic exposures at fire events and improper use and cleaning of personal protective equipment (PPE), with role and years in service increasing risk. Risk Perception: Research on efforts to reduce cancer risk are growing, and include examination of firefighter knowledge, attitudes, norms, and behaviors toward decontamination, screening, and healthy eating. Many firefighters report high perceived susceptibility and severity of cancer risk, and identify fire scene exposures, contaminated gear, diet, sleep disruption, chemical exposure from cleaning products, and barriers to medical care as contributing to increased risk. Risk Reduction: Firefighters have strong desire to reduce cancer risk and report generally favorable attitudes toward decontamination practices and proper gear use, but face barriers to reducing those risks, including lack of knowledge, occupational needs, organizational culture, policy, and lack of resources. Behavioral interventions to reduce cancer risk through decontamination efforts and dietary change have demonstrated positive results, however there is a dearth of research on these efforts, especially with European and international firefighters. Future Directions: Future research should focus on understanding European and international firefighters’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward cancer risk reduction, the impact of the built environment on cancer risk (station layout, clean cabs), improved efforts at tracking exposures, use of new technology and virtual reality in training to reduce cancer risk, and improved understanding of firefighter cancer risk by medical professionals.

Comparative analysis of the main occupations working conditions in the copper production by pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods in Russia

Introduction. The primary materials for copper production are sulfide copper-nickel and oxidized ores with a copper percentage of 1.5-4%, traditionally processed by the pyrometallurgical method. For processing depleted copper-containing raw materials (less than 1%), the pyrometallurgical approach is not commonly suitable. The introduced hydrometallurgical way differs by including in one production process, combined underground leaching of ore, extraction of copper from solution, and the following electrolysis. At the same time, insufficient attention is paid to the hydrometallurgical method of processing depleted copper raw materials from a hygienic standpoint in our country. Materials and methods. Based on the results of our research carried out at copper-smelting plants using pyro- and hydrometallurgical methods of processing raw materials, a comparative analysis was carried out for such indicators as the pollutants content in the workplaces’ air at different stages of production, predicted values of occupational cancer risks, toxicity indicators, and the health and essential physiological functions of workers. Results. Working under increased heat intensity in hot shops, exposure to sulfur-containing gases and industrial aerosols leads to significant changes in hemodynamics and thermoregulation stress in workers. In the hydrometallurgical production of copper, the only occupational hazard exceeding hygienic standards is sulfuric acid vapours, and changes in physiological parameters and thermoregulation are insignificant. The predicted values of occupational cancer risk for hydrometallurgical machines operators exceed the acceptable level after 9-10 years of working experience. For smelters, an unacceptable level of risk is achieved with up to 5 years of working experience. Conclusion. For the first time in the country, a hygienic assessment of the hydrometallurgical method of processing depleted copper raw materials was proved to be the only appropriate method of improving working conditions in copper production.

Perceptions of Occupational Cancer Risk and Prevention Among Dominican Republic Firefighters: A Qualitative Study.

Characterize occupational cancer risk perceptions and attitudes toward cancer prevention practices among firefighters in the Dominican Republic. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted in June 2019 among firefighters from three fire departments. Themes were inductively created using a qualitative descriptive approach. Thirty-seven firefighters were interviewed with a group mean age of 36.2 ± 10.3 years, of which 97.3% were male, and 37.1% worked at least 10 years. Six themes emerged: 1) availability of personal protective equipment (PPE); 2) toxic exposure during fire suppression; 3) work-related stress; 4) lack of workplace health promotion activities; 5) Dominican culture impacts medical checkups; and 6) expensive medical copays limits healthcare access. Dominican firefighters are willing to adopt cancer prevention practices, however organizational barriers (ie, PPE availability, cultural barriers, and health promotion practices) limit engagement.

Contribution of causal factors to disease burden: how to interpret attributable fractions.

What proportion of the risk in a given population is attributable to a risk factor? The population attributable fraction (PAF) answers this question. “Attributable to” is understood as “due to”, which makes PAFs closely related to the concept of potential impact or potential benefits of reducing the exposure. The PAF is a tool at the border between science and decision making. PAFs are estimated based on strong assumptions and the calculations are data intensive, making them vulnerable to gaps in knowledge and data. Current misconceptions include summing up PAFs to 100% or subtracting a PAF for a factor from 100% to deduce what proportion is left to be explained or prevented by other factors. This error is related to unrecognised multicausality or shared causal responsibility in disease aetiology. Attributable cases only capture cases in excess and should be regarded as a lower bound for aetiological cases, which cannot be estimated based on epidemiological data alone (exposure-induced cases). The population level might not be relevant to discuss prevention priorities based on PAFs, for instance when exposures concentrate in a subgroup of the population, as for occupational lung carcinogens and other workplace hazards. Alternative approaches have been proposed based on absolute rather than relative metrics, such as estimating potential gains in life expectancy that can be expected from a specific policy (prevention) or years of life lost due to a specific exposure that already happened (compensation).

Parental occupational exposures in wood-related jobs and risk of testicular germ cell tumours in offspring in NORD-TEST a registry-based case–control study in Finland, Norway, and Sweden

ObjectiveWe assessed the association between parental prenatal exposures in wood-related jobs and risk of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) in offspring.MethodsNORD-TEST, a registry-based case–control study in Sweden, Finland and Norway, included 8112 TGCT cases diagnosed at ages 14–49 years between 1978 and 2012 with no history of prior cancer, and up to four controls matched to each case on year and country of birth. Parents of cases and controls were identified via linkages with the population registries and their occupational information was retrieved from censuses. The Nordic Occupational Cancer Study Job-Exposure Matrix was used to assign occupational exposures to each parent. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsMaternal wood-related job was not associated with the risk of TGCT in offspring (OR 1.08, CI 0.55–2.14), while paternal wood-related job was associated with a decreased risk of TGCT in offspring (OR 0.85, CI 0.75–0.96). None of the specific wood-related jobs, such as upholsterers, sawyers, or construction carpenters, were significantly associated with a risk of TGCT. Only exception was observed in a sensitivity analysis which showed an increased risk in the small group of sons of fathers working as ‘cabinetmakers and joiners’ the year before conception (OR of 2.06, CI 1.00–4.25).ConclusionThis large-scale NORD-TEST analysis provided no evidence of an association between parental prenatal exposures in wood-related jobs and TGCT in sons.

Health status and cancer related mortality among nuclear plant workers exposed to ionizing radiation

Background: The investigation of potential adverse health effects of occupational exposures to ionizing radiation, on nuclear plant workers, is an important area of research. In this study, we aimed to calculate the incidence and risk of cancer development and mortality during last five years (2015-2019). Material and methods: 456 nuclear industry workers were included into this study (39 cancer patients and 417 healthy. For this cohort, the cancer mortality has been assessed by data obtained from national health registry excluded for the probability of known causes of death. The associations between cumulative occupational radiation exposures (radon, gamma radiation and long-lived radionuclides) and cancer mortality were calculated. Results: Radon and Gamma exposure was significantly higher among workers who developed cancer [8.4 (0; 3,224.5) vs 19.7 (0; 128.4), p=0.03] and [12.0 (2.1; 110.0) vs 24.5 (0; 470.1), p=0.02]. However, no significant association was found between long-lived radionuclides and risk of cancer (p=0.07). Conclusion: In conclusion, significant association has been observed between the risk of cancer development and radon and gamma exposure among nuclear industry workers, but no association was found between cancer and long-live nucleoids exposure. Keywords: ionizing radiation; nuclear industry; cancer; mortality.