Occupational exposure to organic dust and risk of lymphoma subtypes in the EPILYMPH case-control study

Five decades of occupational cancer epidemiology

OBJECTIVE

In this discussion paper, we provide a narrative review of past and present occupational cancer studies in the journal with a viewpoint towards future occupational cancer research.

METHOD

We reviewed all references in the journal that mentioned cancer according to relevance to etiology, cancer type, agent type, study design, and study population.

RESULTS

The Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health has published over 300 manuscripts on occupational cancer over the 50 past years. Although studies of cancer represent the primary health outcome in the journal overall, the relative ranking of cancer manuscripts has declined somewhat over time. A large body of evidence from studies of occupation and industry was apparent both in early research and continuing in recent years. There are several examples of the utility of pooled multi-country collaborative studies. Studies also took advantage of available high-quality national population and cancer registers in Nordic countries. There have been notable shifts in focus with regard to the cancer types examined, with increases in publications examining female breast cancer over the decades. The interplay of studies of occupational and environmental cancer has also been apparent.

CONCLUSIONS

The journal offers a unique viewpoint to consider the evolution of occupational cancer evidence over time. Studies of occupational cancer have played a central role in global cancer hazard identification efforts. Although much has been gained, there remains a need for renewed global support for occupational cancer research. Concerted efforts will be needed to ensure a future robust evidence-base for occupational and environmental cancer worldwide.

Wood dust and risk of leukemia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between wood dust exposure and leukemia. The objectives included synthesizing available evidence, assessing its quality, identifying potential sources of heterogeneity, and drawing conclusions regarding the association between wood dust and leukemia.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies meeting that report on the association between wood dust and leukemia. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools were employed to ensure robust quality assessment. Meta-analysis, using random-effects models, synthesized evidence from studies with low risk of bias. Overall odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Subgroup analyses explored potential sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included a comprehensive review of various study types, encompassing 7 studies that examined the association between wood dust exposure and leukemia risk. The analysis revealed a statistically significant positive association, with an overall odds ratio (OR) of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.15-2.12). This indicates that individuals exposed to wood dust are 1.56 times more likely to develop leukemia compared to those not exposed, with the 95% confidence interval ranging from 1.15 to 2.12, highlighting a substantial risk elevation across different study designs. Quality assessment using The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools demonstrated a low risk of bias across all included studies, enhancing the credibility of the observed association. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore potential sources of heterogeneity within the studies. Notably, subgroup analysis based on the year of the study revealed significant differences, as indicated by an I^2 value of 87%. The robustness of these results underscores the importance of addressing wood dust exposure as an occupational hazard, particularly in industries related to woodworking and forestry.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis provides robust evidence supporting an increased risk of leukemia associated with wood dust exposure implying proactive measures in people exposed to dust.

Investigation of occupational risk factors for the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in adults: A hospital-based case-control study

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) is a malignancy of the lymphoid lineage of the hematopoietic system has worldwide, especially in developed countries. Better diagnostic and recording techniques, longer life expectancy, and greater exposure to risk factors are hypotheses for this growing incidence curve. Occupational exposures to chemical, biological, and physical agents have also been associated with NHL development, but the results are still controversial. We have investigated the occupational and lifestyle case-control study design with 214 adult patients and 452 population controls. Socio-demographic, clinical, and occupational exposure data were obtained through individual interviews with a standardized questionnaire. Clinical, laboratory, and histopathological data were obtained through medical records. Risk of NHL (any subtype), B-cell lymphoma, DLBCL, Follicular lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma was elevated among the those who had ever been exposed to any solvents, hydrocarbon solvents, pesticides, meat and meat products, and sunlight and tended to increase by years of exposure. A significant upward trend with years of exposure was detected for any solvents and hydrocarbon solvents (NHL (any subtype) p-value for trend<0.001), B-cell lymphoma (p-value for trend<0.001), and T-cell lymphoma (p-value for trend<0.023), pesticides (NHL (any subtype), p for trend<0.001) and T-cell lymphoma (p for trend<0.002), meat and meat products (NHL (any subtype) (p for trend<0.001) and DLBCL (p for trend<0.001), and sunlight (B-cell lymphoma (p for trend<0.001). The results of this study agree line with other international studies, can be extrapolated to other countries that have the same socio-demographic and occupational characteristics as Brazil and support strategies for surveillance and control of work-related cancer.

Childhood cancer risk in offspring of parents occupationally exposed to dusts: A register-based nested case-control study from Sweden of 5 decades

BACKGROUND

Some largely inconsistent associations between parental occupational dust exposure and childhood cancer have been reported, with maternal exposures inadequately studied. The authors examined whether maternal or paternal occupational exposure to animal, wood, textile, or paper dust around a child's birth was associated with an increased risk of childhood cancer, both overall and by type (leukemias, lymphomas, central nervous system tumors, and other cancers).

METHODS

In this nationwide, register-based, case-control study, children who were diagnosed with cancer from 1960 to 2015 were compared with up to 25 matched controls regarding maternal and paternal occupational dust exposure (9653 cases in maternal analyses and 12,521 cases in paternal analyses). Exposures were assessed using a job-exposure matrix and occupational information from census and register data. By using conditional logistic regression models, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated.

RESULTS

Neither maternal nor paternal occupational exposure to animal, wood, textile, or paper dust was associated with childhood cancer overall, leukemias, or central nervous system tumors. Maternal, but not paternal, wood dust exposure was associated with an increased risk of lymphoma (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.10-1.84), particularly non-Hodgkin lymphoma (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.21-3.40).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study did not confirm the associations reported previously but is the first to suggest a link between maternal occupational exposure to wood dust around pregnancy and lymphoma in the offspring.