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Occupational cancer represents at least 4% of all cancers occurring annually in both sexes, from the literature data. In fact, occupational cancer is largely unrecognized as such and unreported. Why? Some causes could be: exposure to several carcinogens, long latency period beside the other individual factors and extra-occupational environment factors. However, according to the IARC classification, most substances considered carcinogens in group 1 are of professional nature. The west region of Romania, especially Timisoara, was a heavily industrialized area, that implied a large number of workers exposed chronically to carcinogens. In this study, we proposed to identify occupational exposure to carcinogens in patients with cancer and identify the occupational cancer.
Methods
There are 148 patients admitted to the chemotherapy and radiotherapy clinics in Timisoara currently enrolled in the study. The selection was done randomly, based on the optional criterion to complete the questionnaire distributed. It contains data on: location, histology, tumor stage, and personal family history, diet, smoking, alcohol use, vacation days, occupational exposure to known carcinogens and other pollutants, stress, night shift, safety and hygiene conditions in work.
Results
The study group consists of: 75 women, 73 men, mostly from Timis County (81%) and from urban area (63%). The main locations are: lung cancers (24.32%) digestive cancers (21.62%), breast cancers (18.24%), cervix and ovary cancer (15.54%). Positive heredity is present in 29.05%. Smoking is currently at 72.29%. Regarding occupational exposure 49.32% recognize worked the night shift, 43.24% professional stress. Other exposures were: welding fumes, oil, organic solvents, solar radiation, electromagnetic fields. There was a statistically extremely significant association between smoking and cancer.
Discussion
The workplace exposure of cancerigens was multiple, beside of other cancerigens factors (e.g. smoking) and it is difficult to establish the occupational cancer. Those exposed to carcinogens should be monitored after changing jobs or after retirement.