Occupational exposure to carcinogens: Benzene, pesticides and fibers

Abstract

It is well known that the occupational exposure to contaminants and carcinogens leads to the development of cancer in exposed workers. In the 18th century, Percivall Pott was the first to hypothesize that chronic exposure to dust in the London chimney sweeps was associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Subsequently a growing body of evidence indicated that other physical factors were also responsible for oncogenic mutations. Over the past decades, many carcinogens have been found in the occupational environment and their presence is often associated with an increased incidence of cancer. Occupational exposure involves several factors and the association between carcinogens, occupational exposure and cancer is still unclear. Only a fraction of factors is recognized as occupational carcinogens and for each factor, there is an increased risk of cancer development associated with a specific work activity. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the majority of carcinogens are classified as ‘probable’ and ‘possible’ human carcinogens, while, direct evidence of carcinogenicity is provided in epidemiological and experimental studies. In the present review, exposures to benzene, pesticides and mineral fibers are discussed as the most important cancer risk factors during work activities.

Exosomal miR‐221 derived from hydroquinone‐transformed malignant human bronchial epithelial cells is involved in cell viability of recipient cells

“…However, its carcinogenic mechanism is not fully understood (Falzone et al, 2016;Salemi et al, 2017;Smith et al, 2016). However, its carcinogenic mechanism is not fully understood (Falzone et al, 2016;Salemi et al, 2017;Smith et al, 2016).…”

Pesticides as risk factors for head and neck cancer: A review

“…Systematic reviews of the literature have shown that human exposure to pesticides may be associated with chronic, non‐cancer effects, including dermatologic, neurologic, reproductive, and genotoxic effects; and carcinogenic effects, such as lung, breast, pancreatic, brain, prostate, stomach, ovarian, and kidney cancers, as well as non‐Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia . In epidemiological studies, the main limiting factors are the accurate assessment of agent exposure, poor information available on the pesticide‐related health effects in women, and the lack of consideration of differences in pesticide exposure levels, distinct ethnicities, age groups, and/or dietary characteristics …”

“…consideration of differences in pesticide exposure levels, distinct ethnicities, age groups, and/or dietary characteristics. 6 Although cell mechanisms related to the development of cancers induced by pesticide exposure are not fully understood, it is supposed that the pathways may include abnormal immune response, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and chromosome aberration. 7 The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had included some pesticides in the list of carcinogens.…”

Tuning Coating Thickness of Iron Tetraphenyl Porphyrin on Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Annealing: Effect on Benzene Sensing Performance

“…Finally, the sensors were validated in benzene atmosphere while it could be detected down to 1 ppm concentration with the optimized sensor at room temperature. Benzene is a recognized slow carcinogen even at low concentration and has a strong presence in ambient through motor vehicle exhausts, tobacco smoke, and emissions at waste sites . Necessity of benzene detection is more prominent for indoor air quality monitoring due to regular consumer products like paints, furniture and even detergents .…”