Archive

---

Med. Pr. 2005;56(2)

Occupational cancers in Poland, 1995ś2003

Nowotwory pochodzenia zawodowego w Polsce w latach 1995ś2003

Urszula Wilczyńska, Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska Z Zakładu Epidemiologii środowiskowej Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. prof. J. Nofera w Łodzi

Abstract

Background: The aim of this paper is to present current data on the incidence of occupational cancer in Poland. Materials and Methods: This work is based on the information collected from forms reporting cases of occupational diseases in 1995-2003, received by the Central Register of Occupational Diseases run by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland. During that period, 1124 cases of cancer were registered. Results: Occupational cancer was diagnosed in 125 people per year on the average. The occupational cancer cases made 1.4% of all occupational diseases. In individual years, the contribution of occupational cancer showed the upward trend. The most frequent tumor sites were: lung (51.6%), larynx (18.9%), pleura (7.6%), urinary bladder (6.0%), lymphatic and hemopoietic tissues (3.9%), skin (3.7%). Asbestos was specified as a causal factor of every third case (32.8% of reported cases) of occupational cancer: 38.9% of lung tumors, 25.6% of larynx tumors and allpleural mesotheliomas. Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ionising radiation was responsible for 10.8% of tumors each. Polycydic aromatic hydrocarbons were recorded as a causal factor of 15.4% of pulmonary, 10.6% of laryngeal,12.8% of dermal, and 11.4% of lymphatic and hemopoietic tissue tumors, while ionising radiation for 12.8% of pulmonary, 23.1% of dermal, and 22.7% of lymphatic and hemopoietic tissue cancers. Males formed the majority (90.5%) of patients with diagnosed occupational cancer. Pulmonary (52.7%) and laryngeal (20.1%) cancers were the most frequent tumors in men. Among women, pulmonary cancer also occupied the first place (41.1%) and was followed by pleural mesothelioma (21,5%). Conclusions: The proportion of malignant tumors in the overall number of occupational diseases shows the upward trend. Due to long latency period of the disease, the recorded cases reflect exposures of long time ago.

Key words

occupational diseases, occupational cancer, causal factors, site