Association between pulmonary dysfunction as a result of occupational exposures and risk of developing cancer

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine Vol. 54; no. 12; p. 1471
• Main Authors: Pahwa, Punam, Karunanayake, Chandima P, Dosman, James A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incidence; Logistic Models; Lung Diseases, Obstructive - complications; Lung Diseases, Obstructive - diagnosis; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - etiology; Occupational Diseases - complications; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Proportional Hazards Models; Registries; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Saskatchewan - epidemiology; Spirometry; Surveys and Questionnaires; Saskatchewan
• ISSN: 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3182623095

Cohen's hypothesis states that pulmonary dysfunction is the underlying unifying factor that leads to numerous health risks of inhaled toxicants. To test the idea postulated by Cohen. We compiled a retrospective cohort (n = 8024) composed of participants in eight population-based research and occupational studies conducted between 1977 and 1989. Smoking history, occupational exposures, health indicators, and demographic information were obtained by questionnaire. Pulmonary function was assessed by spirometry. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to test the Cohen's hypothesis. Risk of developing cancer increased (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.67) if a subject had an obstructive pulmonary disease at baseline. Impaired lung function caused by environmental and occupational exposures is one of the risk factors for the incidence of cancer.