Publication: Occupational Lung Carcinogens and Factors in Relation to Lung Cancer Risk
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Date
2013
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Abstract
Introduction: Although smoking is the most important cause of lung cancer, occupational factors can also play an important role. Worldwide, approximately 10% of lung cancer deaths in men (88,000 deaths) and 5% in women (14,300 deaths) were attributable to exposure to occupational carcinogens, referred to the report on the global burden of disease due to occupational carcinogens
Methods: We examined the risks associated with occupational exposures in a case-referent study of lung cancer that was carried out between November 1998 to March 2000. Cases were patients attended a bronchoscopy clinic at the North West Lung Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester during that period who were subsequently found to have lung cancer. Referents were patients found not to have lung cancer at bronchoscopy.
Results: There were 121 subjects in the study (39 cases, 82 referents). Smoking status was significantly associated with lung cancer risk: the odds ratio of having lung cancer in ever smokers (vs never smokers) was 3.21 (95% CI: 1.02 - 10.07). There were also significant association between number of cigarettes smoked (p = 0.01) and years smoked (p = 0.04) with lung cancer risk. Years of exposure to occupational carcinogens was also associated with the development of lung cancer (p = 0.02). Workers who were exposed for 45 years or more, had an increase risk when compared to those who had worked for less than 17 years (OR, 95% CI = 2.54, 1.12 – 6.34). Job category was found to be borderline significant with lung cancer risk. The adjusted odds ratio of having lung cancer among unskilled manual job worker (vs management, professional & associate professional) was 4.75 (95% CI: 1.06 - 21.4).
Conclusion: This study shows an exposure to occupational carcinogens was associated with an elevated lung cancer risk. Unskilled manual job workers had a higher lung cancer risk compared with other categories, such as management, professional & associate professional.
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Keywords
Occupational lung carcinogens, Lung cancer, Smoking