113. Occupational cancers

From greek.doctor
  • General about occupational cancers
    • International Agency for Research on Cancer – IARC
      • Involved in occupational cancer research
      • Evaluates and classifies chemicals, occupations, physical effects, industrial processes, according to their carcinogenetic potential
        • Group 1 – definitely carcinogenic
          • 113 substances
          • Alcohol
          • Smoking
          • UV radiation
          • Processed meat
        • Group 2A – probably carcinogenic
          • Red meat
          • Fried food
        • Group 2B – possibly carcinogenic
          • Coffee
          • Welding fumes
        • Group 3 – not classifiable as carcinogenic
          • Due to lack of enough evidence
          • Magnetic fields
          • Tea
        • Group 4 – probably not carcinogenic
          • Only 1 substance
    • Annually registered cases of occupation cancer in Hungary – 10 to 30 cases
      • Massive underreporting
    • CAREX database – holds data on the occupational carcinogen exposure in Europe
    • Occupational cancer is the main cause of occupational death in Europe
    • Occupational cancer accounts for 8% of cancers
    • 23% of the workforce is exposed to occupational carcinogens on a daily basis
    • Most frequent occupational carcinogenic exposures
      • Solar (UV) radiation
      • Tobacco smoke
      • Silica crystals
      • Diesel exhaust
    • Cancer initiators
      • One-time exposure is sufficient
      • Bind to DNA and cause mutations
      • Irreversible effect
      • Examples
        • PAH
        • Tobacco
        • Nitrosamines
    • Cancer promoters
      • Repeated exposure is necessary
      • No carcinogenic effect without an initiator
      • Does not bind to DNA
      • Reversible effect
      • Examples
        • DDT
        • PCB
        • Tobacco smoke
    • Carcinogens are stochastic, i.e. there is no “safe” level of exposure to the carcinogens, and the probability of cancer increases with dose
    • Many environmental carcinogens are also encountered in occupations, so the distinction between environmental and occupational carcinogens is not always straight forward
      • Aflatoxin, cyclophosphamide, UV radiation, PAH, etc.
    • Most frequent occupational cancers
      • Lung and pleura
      • Bladder
      • Skin
  • Lung cancer
    • Occupations
      • Miners
      • Construction workers
      • Shipyard workers
    • Occupational carcinogens
      • Asbestos
      • Radon
      • PAHs
      • Arsenic
    • Prevention of asbestos exposure
      • Find out where asbestos is
      • Only qualified workers should remove it
      • It’s more dangerous to remove it than to leave it (as that releases it into the air)
      • Use HEPA filters
  • Bladder cancer
    • Slow acetylators (slow NAT2) have higher risk
    • Occupations
      • Dye industry
      • Leather industry
      • Rubber industry
    • Occupational carcinogens
      • Benzidine
      • Naphthylamine
      • Anillin dye
  • Skin cancer
    • Occupations
      • Outside workers (agriculture, etc.)
    • Occupational carcinogens
      • Arsenic
      • UV
    • Prevention
      • Protective clothing
      • Sunscreen
  • Leukaemia
    • Occupational carcinogen
      • Benzene