Wood dust and its relationship with paranasal sinus cancer as a occupational disease
Keywords:
cancer, occupational exposure, occupational health, paranasal sinus , wood dustAbstract
Introduction: Paranasal sinus cancers are a group of rare neoplasms usually diagnosed at advanced stages, with a five-year survival rate ranging from 35% to 60%. They occur primarily in men—often between the ages of 50 and 60—due to occupational exposure.
Objectives: To present information regarding the relationship between wood dust exposure and the development of paranasal sinus cancers as an occupational disease in wood-related professions.
Methods: A literature review was conducted using various information sources and databases; 37 references were used to prepare this article.
Results: Wood dust was identified as a carcinogen in 1995 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Occupational history involving work as a carpenter, cabinetmaker, furniture maker, or other wood-related trade is a risk factor for paranasal sinus cancer. Occupational exposure to wood dust has been linked to the development of paranasal sinus adenocarcinoma, particularly in workers exposed to wood dust levels exceeding 5 mg/m³.
Conclusions: Scientific evidence supports the conclusion that chronic exposure to wood dust is a major risk factor for the development of paranasal sinus adenocarcinoma. The association between specific occupations and the onset of this neoplasm clearly indicates that it is an occupational disease.
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