Occupational exposures and mammographic density in Spanish women.

OBJECTIVES: The association between occupational exposures and mammographic density (MD), a marker of breast cancer risk, has not been previously explored. Our objective was to investigate the influence of occupational exposure to chemical, physical and microbiological agents on MD in adult women. METHODS: This is a population-based cross-sectional study based on 1476 female workers aged 45-65 years from seven Spanish breast cancer screening programmes. Occupational history was surveyed by trained staff. Exposure to occupational agents was assessed using the Spanish job-exposure matrix MatEmESp. Percentage of MD was measured by two radiologists using a semiautomatic computer tool. The association was estimated using mixed log-linear regression models adjusting for age, education, body mass index, menopausal status, parity, smoking, alcohol intake, type of mammography, family history of breast cancer and hormonal therapy use, and including screening centre and professional reader as random effects terms. RESULTS: Although no association was found with most of the agents, women occupationally exposed to perchloroethylene (eß=1.51; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.19), ionising radiation (eß=1.23; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.52) and mould spores (eß=1.44; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.04) tended to have higher MD. The percentage of density increased 12% for every 5 years exposure to perchloroethylene or mould spores, 11% for every 5 years exposure to aliphatic/alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents and 3% for each 5 years exposure to ionising radiation. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to perchloroethylene, ionising radiation, mould spores or aliphatic/alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents in occupational settings could be associated with higher MD. Further studies are needed to clarify the accuracy and the reasons for these findings.

Occupation and mammographic density: A population-based study (DDM-Occup).

INTRODUCTION: High mammographic density is one of the main risk factors for breast cancer. Although several occupations have been associated with breast cancer, there are no previous occupational studies exploring the association with mammographic density. Our objective was to identify occupations associated with high mammographic density in Spanish female workers. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of occupational determinants of high mammographic density in Spain, based on 1476 women, aged 45-68 years, recruited from seven screening centers within the Spanish Breast Cancer Screening Program network. Reproductive, family, personal, and occupational history data were collected. The latest occupation of each woman was collected and coded according to the 1994 National Classification of Occupations. Mammographic density was assessed from the cranio-caudal mammogram of the left breast using a semi-automated computer-assisted tool. Association between mammographic density and occupation was evaluated by using mixed linear regression models, using log-transformed percentage of mammographic density as dependent variable. Models were adjusted for age, body mass index, menopausal status, parity, smoking, alcohol intake, educational level, type of mammography, first-degree relative with breast cancer, and hormonal replacement therapy use. Screening center and professional reader were included as random effects terms. RESULTS: Mammographic density was higher, although non-statistically significant, among secondary school teachers (eß = 1.41; 95%CI = 0.98-2.03) and nurses (eß = 1.23; 95%CI = 0.96-1.59), whereas workers engaged in the care of people (eß = 0.81; 95%CI = 0.66-1.00) and housewives (eß = 0.87; 95%CI = 0.79-0.95) showed an inverse association with mammographic density. A positive trend for every 5 years working as secondary school teachers was also detected (p-value = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses and secondary school teachers were the occupations with the highest mammographic density in our study, showing the latter a positive trend with duration of employment. Future studies are necessary to confirm if these results are due to chance or are the result of a true association whose causal hypothesis is, for the moment, unknown.

Contaminación de los equipos de trabajo y riesgo de cáncer de próstata y testículo, en bomberos / Personal protective equipment’s contamination and risk of prostate and testes cancer, in firefighters

ANTECEDENTES: Los bomberos, en el ejercicio de su actividad laboral, están expuestos en forma aguda y crónica a sustancias peligrosas que conllevan un riesgo para la salud; dichas sustancias (varias de ellas clasificadas como cancerígenas) están presentes en el escenario de extinción del fuego y fuera de éste. Los equipos de protección personal han ido evolucionado con el fin de minimizar los daños. En este artículo revisamos la evidencia existente en cuanto a contaminación a través de equipos de trabajo y si la profesión de bombero supone un riesgo para el desarrollo de cáncer de testículo y próstata. OBJETIVOS: Conocer la implicación de los equipos de trabajo como fuente adicional de contaminación en bomberos. Ver la asociación de esta profesión con cáncer de testículo y próstata. MÉTODOS: Búsqueda bibliográfica en Pubmed, Toxnet, Scopus y OSH Update, Google scholar y webs institucionales; recopilamos 20 artículos (11 de exposición y 9 relacionados con cáncer testicular y próstata). RESULTADOS: Se encontraron hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos (HAP), compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COV), algunos cancerígenos, que se adhieren a los EP. Los cánceres testicular y prostático tuvieron asociación estadísticamente significativa en 4 y 5 estudios, que valoraban incidencia y mortalidad, respectivamente; dentro de los que se incluye un metaanálisis. CONCLUSIONES: Parece existir contaminación, a través de los equipos de protección, bien por sustancias liberadas en forma de gas, transferencia cutánea y/o desarrollo de un microambiente tóxico entre el traje y la piel. Se encontró asociación

BACKGROUND: Firefighters, in the exercise of their work, are exposed to acute and chronically hazardous substances that pose a health risk; these substances (some classified as carcinogenic) are present in the scene extinguishing the fire and out of this. Personal protective equipment (PPE), have evolved in order to minimize damage. In this paper, we review the actual evidence about contamination through EP and if firefighters are in risk about prostate and testis cancer. OBJECTIVES: To know the involvement of PPE as an additional source of pollution in fire. To see the association with testicular cancer and prostate cancer. METHODS: Research in PubMed, Toxnet, Scopus and OSH Update, Google scholar and institutional websites; we collect 20 articles (11 and 9 related to exposure testicular cancer and prostate). RESULTS: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some carcinogens, adhering to the EP. Testicular and prostate cancer had a statistically significant association in studies 4 and 5 respectively that assessed incidence and mortality; this included a meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that there's contamination through PPE, as some substances released as a gas, by dermal contamination or by creation of toxic microenvironment between suit and skin. Different substances released during or after the fire stick to the EP, creating a «toxic microenvironment» between the suit and the skin, promoting systemic absorption. We found statistically significant association to prostate and testicular cancer

Efecto de la exposición a ruido en entornos laboralessobre la calidad de vida y rendimiento / Effects of noise exposure in working places on quality of life and performance

Objetivos: La exposición laboral a ruido origina efectos sobre la salud de carácter no auditivo. El objetivo de este estudio es estimar la asociación entre exposición a ruido en entornos laborales y la aparición de alteraciones en la conducta, rendimiento y síntomas psicosomáticos. Metodología: Estudio de prevalencia a partir de datos de la VI Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Trabajo analizando como variable independiente la exposición a ruido y como variables dependientes los "síntomas que manifiesta el trabajador" tratados de forma individual o por grupo de síntomas según su naturaleza: conductual, psicosomáticos y rendimiento. La asociación entre exposición y efecto se analizó mediante la prueba de X2 y se calculó el OR de prevalencias ajustado por ritmo de trabajo (IC95%) para medir la asociación entre "exposición a ruido" y grupos de síntomas de forma cruda en el conjunto de la población y de forma estratificada por ramas de actividad. Resultados: El 36,5% de la población trabajadora está expuesta a ruido en su puesto de trabajo. Se observa una mayor prevalencia de los grupos de síntomas conductuales, psicosomáticos y de rendimiento (p<0,001) entre los trabajadores expuestos a ruido frente a no expuestos. La rama de Actividades Sanitarias presenta los mayores valores de OR para el grupo de síntomas conductuales (OR=2,53 [1,71-3,75]) y de rendimiento (OR=2,26, [1,43-3,56]) y la Industria Química presenta el mayor grado de asociación entre exposición a ruido y síntomas psicosomáticos (OR=5,37, [1,13-25,55]). Conclusiones: Se observa una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre exposición a ruido y alteraciones de conducta, rendimiento y síntomas psicosomáticos en la población trabajadora española (AU)

Aims: Occupational noise exposure could produce extra-auditory effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether occupational noise exposure can influence human behaviour, performance and development of psychosomatic symptoms. Methodology: Cross-sectional study, from the Data-base of Spanish VI National Survey on Working Conditions, "noise exposure" has been analyzed as independent variable and: "symptoms self-reportered by workers" as effect variable, considering them independently or grouped variables in behavioural, psychosomatic and performance symptoms. The relationship between exposure and effect was analyzed by X2 test. Prevalence adjusted Odds Ratio by work rhythm (95% CI), were estimated to measure the association between perceived noise annoyance and grouped symptoms in the population and in the different branches of activity. Results: 36.5% of the working population is exposed to noise in their workplace. There is a higher prevalence of behavioural symptoms group, psychosomatic and performance (p <0.001) among workers exposed to noise compared to unexposed. Health Care Sector reported the highest risk for behavioural (OR=2,53 [1,71-3,75]) and performance symptoms(OR=2,26, [1,43-3,56]) . Chemical Industry had a prevalence ratio between noise and psychosomatic symptoms of (OR=5,37 [1,13-25,55]). Conclusions: Our results found and statistic significant association between noise annoyance exposure and behavioural, performance and development of psychosomatic symptoms in the Spanish working population (AU)