Update of estimates of occupational exposure to carcinogens in Costa Rica: a comparison between TICAREX 2001–2002 and the 2015–2022 period

Cancer burden and health inequalities attributable to occupational arsenic exposure: A 32-year global, regional, and national observational study with projections to 2036

Focused interventions in low- and middle-SDI countries and rapidly industrializing regions are needed, including strengthened occupational exposure regulations, improved workplace arsenic monitoring, engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and regular health surveillance for workers in high-risk industries, to reduce inequalities and mitigate public health threats.

The preventable burden of tobacco-attributable cancer incidence in Catalonia (Spain) in 2024: a Bayesian approach.

Cancer incidence and mortality among persons in the Finnish Register of Employees Exposed to Carcinogens, 1979-2018.

Lung cancer mortality of workers occupationally exposed to titanium dioxide in Germany: new insights from a retrospective cohort study after accounting for smoking status.

Evidence regarding carcinogenic effects of inhaled titanium dioxide (TiO2) dust is inconclusive. Several cohort studies investigated worker populations in TiO2 factories, the largest of which included 15,017 individuals in multiple European countries. We have re-analyzed the data of the German sub-cohort from this European study to investigate the association between TiO2 exposure and lung cancer mortality. The observation period covered 50 years (1950-1999). Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated and indirectly adjusted for smoking. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR), stratified by smoking status, adjusted for co-exposures, and lagged by 0/10/20 years. Cumulative exposure was estimated through a job-exposure matrix. 4862 male workers from three TiO2 factories were included (131,475 person-years). Smoking status was available for 55% of workers. At the end of follow-up, 1015 deaths were recorded, 115 of which due to lung cancer. The adjusted SMR for lung cancer mortality was 1.67 (n = 4650; 95%CI: 1.41-1.98), with no trend across exposure levels. Adjusted Cox models showed no increased hazard for ever-smokers and workers with unknown smoking status, and a weak association for never-smokers (n = 2880; HR = 1.07; 95%CI: 0.96-1.21), with exposure lagged by 20 years. This is one of the few occupational cohort studies on TiO2 inhalation where smoking was accounted for in analyses. Exposure-response associations of similar magnitude for TiO2 dust and lung cancer mortality have been reported by other studies. However, findings need to be interpreted with caution due to several methodological limitations, highlighting the need for further research with new data.

Setting occupational exposure limits (OELs) for carcinogens: a focus on benzene.

Since the 1950s, regulation of occupational carcinogen exposure has progressed from hazard identification to quantitative evaluation, driven by advances in cancer biology. This narrative review compares two approaches for setting Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) for carcinogens, focusing on benzene. The first one applies a mode of action (MOA)-based approach to genotoxicity stratification, using linear extrapolation for direct genotoxicants and non-linear extrapolation for indirect genotoxicants. The second approach quantifies in vivo genotoxicity data, employing mathematical modeling to define the point of departure (POD) for non-linear extrapolation, regardless of the MOA. As benzene is an indirect genotoxicant, it is considered to have a threshold value. Applying the MOA-based approach to genotoxicity stratification, different European institutions and commissions have proposed OELs ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 ppm. The ACGIH has recommended a TLV-TWA of 0.02 ppm (skin notation). Based on a quantitative genotoxicity approach, the proposed OELs range from 0.021 to 0.07 ppm for benzene. Current evidence indicates that workplace benzene concentrations above 0.3 ppm do not adequately protect the health of exposed workers. Extending follow-up of existing cohorts and conducting robust quantitative genotoxicity assays in well-designed epidemiological and experimental studies are essential to reduce uncertainties and to confirm the most sensitive toxic effect, thereby supporting the establishment of a more realistic OEL for benzene and minimizing the likelihood of over- or underestimating the associated risks.

Association between occupational NO₂ exposure and hypertension risk: a PRISMA-based systematic review with risk-of-bias assessment

The findings demonstrated a consistent association between NO₂ exposure and an increased risk of hypertension, particularly in poorly ventilated work environments, and underscore the importance of improving workplace air quality management, strengthening exposure monitoring, and implementing preventive occupational health strategies.