In the 1960s Tetrachloroethylene (TCE), also known as perchloroethylene, became the organic solvent of choice for dry cleaners1. Approximately half of the TCE produced in the United States (US) in 1990 was used for dry cleaning and in Nordic countries, TCE use reached its peak around 1970 when it was the primary dry cleaning solvent1,2. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that in the early 1980s about 500,000 dry cleaners may have been exposed to TCE3. From the early 1970s to the 1980s primary liver cancer incidence increased in several countries4. Over the years, the association between TCE and liver cancer has been inconsistent among human epidemiologic studies with associations seen among animal experiments4. Motivated by the inconsistencies in previous literature and animal experiment evidence this paper reviews published epidemiologic studies presenting results on Tetrachloroethylene exposure and human liver cancer.
Results
Two case-control 4,5, two nested case-control2,6 and two cohort1,7 studies reported estimates for the association between Tetrachloroethylene (TCE) exposure and primary liver cancer. A non-significant association was found between occupational solvent exposure and primary liver cancer among one case-control study, while the other observed a significant association. Hemberg et al. found the odds ratio (OR) for heavy/moderate exposure compared with little/no exposure was 2.3 (95% CI: 0.8, 7.0). The association was confined to women (exact Fisher’s chi-square p=0.007) with the men having a non-significant odds ratio of 0.5. Stemhagen et al. found that among men, the OR for working laundry or dry cleaning compared to not working in that occupation was 2.50 (95% CI: 1.02,...
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...tal Health Perspectives. 2006;114(2):213-219.
3. NIOSH. National Occupational Exposure Survey (1981-1983). Cincinnati, OH1994.
4. Hernberg S, Korkala ML, Asikainen U, Riala R. Primary liver cancer and exposure to solvents. International archives of occupational and environmental health. 1984;54(2):147-153.
5. Stemhagen A, Slade J, Altman R, Bill J. Occupational risk factors and liver cancer. A retrospective case-control study of primary liver cancer in New Jersey. American journal of epidemiology. Apr 1983;117(4):443-454.
6. Lynge E, Carstensen B, Andersen O. Primary liver cancer and renal cell carcinoma in laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Denmark. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health. Aug 1995;21(4):293-295.
7. Ruder AM, Ward EM, Brown DP. Mortality in dry-cleaning workers: an update. American journal of industrial medicine. Feb 2001;39(2):121-132.
I think the chapter that helps to support her main point the most is chapter four titled “Space.” In this chapter, she discussed a great deal about the geographic distribution of cancer as well as the environment of the people who are more likely to get cancer. This includes: job type, living location, and living surroundings. To expand on each, she states that workers with
Gold, L., Manley, N. B., Slone, T. H., & Ward, J. M. (2001). Compendium of Chemical Carcinogens by Target Organ: Results of Chronic Bioassays in Rats, Mice, Hamsters, Dogs, and Monkeys. Toxicologic Pathology, 29(6), 639-652. doi:10.1080/019262301753385979
Three reasons are given to support that it is hard to create a link between breast cancer and these chemicals in page 191, 5th paragraph. The argument also talks about policies and programs regarding these chemicals. Even though they have drawbacks the argument seems to fully support the new
Liver disease resulting from alcohol affects more than two million Americans and is one of the primary causes of illness and death. The liver frees the body of harmful substances, such as alcohol. While the liver breaks down alcohol, it produces toxins that can be even more dangerous than the alcohol consumed (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact on Your Health” 13). “These by-products damage liver cells, promote inflammation, and weaken the body’s natural defenses. Eventually, these problems can disrupt the body’s metabolism and impair the function of other organs” (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol’s Impact on Your Health” 13).
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. Smoking is the leading cause of death by cancer. 1 out of every 5 deaths occurring in America is due to its cancerous effects. The Center for Disease Control estimates that over 46 million Americans smoke cigarettes daily. The International Agency for Research on Cancer is a world health organization that identifies causes of cancer. Through the use of patterns and lab results they can classify certain elements as carcinogens. A carcinogen can be defined as any substance or toxin that is known to produce cancer. There are more than 6000 of these cancer producing toxins found within cigarettes. Arsenic, Benzene, and Vinyl chloride are just a few of the most harmful carcinogens used by tobacco companies. Vinyl chloride is a basic component in manufacturing plastic. Excessive exposure to vinyl chloride has been proven to be pre-cancerous ultimately manifesting into full blown malignant cancer. The most notable effect of vinyl chloride is the cause of...
This literature review will analyze and critically explore four studies that have been conducted on hand hygiene compliance rates by Healthcare workers (HCWs). Firstly, it will look at compliance rates for HCWs in the intensive care units (ICU) and then explore the different factors that contribute to low hand hygiene compliance. Hospital Acquired infections (HAI) or Nosocomial Infections appear worldwide, affecting both developed and poor countries. HAIs represent a major source of morbidity and mortality, especially for patients in the ICU (Hugonnet, Perneger, & Pittet, 2002). Hand hygiene can be defined as any method that destroys or removes microorganisms on hands (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). According to the World Health Organization (2002), a HAI can be defined as an infection occurring in a patient in a hospital or other health care facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. The hands of HCWs transmit majority of the endemic infections. As
In the United States, starting from the first breast cancer case in 1930s to today, a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer increases to one eighth (Gray et al.). Continuously increasing breast cancer rate has caused a lot of concerns among not only ordinary people but also scientists. For decades, scientists have been working on the causes of breast cancer in order to find the corresponding methods of treatment. However, only about 25% of the breast cancer cases got explained (Brody et al.); till today, heredity, lifetime exposure to environmental estrogen (the female sex hormone), and the dietary fat are the only major known causes (“Cover Story: Breast Cancer and Environment”). For the 75% unexplained breast cancers cases, scientists, through various of researches, have come up with several hypothetical breast cancer causes, in which synthetic chemicals and environmental radiations are the major ones.
During recent years, numerous newspaper and magazine articles have suggested that humans may be at risk because small amounts of well known environmental contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, can affect hormone levels. Hormones are produced by the endocrine system as regulators of biological function in target organs. Because hormones play a critical role in early development, toxicological effects on the endocrine system often have an impact on the reproductive system. The term endocrine disruptor is used to describe chemicals that can mimic hormones and may either enhance or counteract their effects. It has been suggested that these hormone changes can, in turn, lead to a variety of health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and abnormalities in newborns.
...es surrounding the lungs, which reflect past exposure to asbestos, is more common in manual workers in the building and naval industries resulting in a higher incidence of lung cancer with in a lower socio-economic status.
Liver cancer is abnormal cell growth on or within the liver. Liver cancer is either starts in the liver (called primary liver cancer) or it spreads to the liver (called metastatic liver cancer). Metastatic liver cancer is more common in United States and Western Europe, while primary liver cancer is common in third world nations. Liver cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. In the United States, it affects twice as many men as women; the average diagnosis age for liver cancer is 67.
Since 1979 the diagnoses of cancer have gone up nearly 20% in a generation as there is more people smoking, drinking, obesity and unfitness (theguardian website, 2011, para. 1). There has been in increase of women with the diagnosis, the diagnoses have risen up by 50% (459 per 100,00), men have risen from 20,000 to 24,000 (the guardian website, 2011, para. 2). Socioeconomic class does have an effect in some cases as cervical and lung cancers are more common in poor people while rates of breast cancer and melanoma are higher in the wealthy (ScienceDaily website, 2008, para. 1). Demographics could also have some effect as those of the wealthier group have more exposure to UV by traveling abroad for the holidays (ScienceDaily website, 2008, para. 5). In regards to smoking, deprived groups continue to smoke while the wealthier groups have quit smoking (ScienceDaily website, 2008, para. 7). Researchers have linked cancer to not only demographics, socioeconomic class but also race and
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Many of these chemicals have been proven to cause cancer. Many of these chemicals also affect the nonsmoker who inhales "secondhand" smoke, which makes secondhand smoke another major cause of lung cancer. If you smoke, you are more likely to develop the disease. Men who smoke are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer, while women who smoke are 12 times more likely. The earlier you start smoking, the longer you smoke increases the danger....
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