Occupational exposure to ultrafine particles and lung cancer in a population exposed to asbestos
Menée à l'aide d'une matrice emploi-exposition française (MATPUF), cette étude analyse l'association entre une exposition professionnelle aux particules ultrafines et le risque de cancer du poumon en fonction du statut tabagique et de l'exposition à l'amiante et à la silice cristalline
Background: Ultrafine particles are present in ever greater quantities in the workplace and only one epidemiological study to date has found an association with the occurrence of lung cancer.
Objective: To investigate the effect of occupational exposure to ultrafine particles on the risk of lung cancer.
Methods: The ARDCO is a surveillance program involving retiree workers who had been exposed to asbestos during their working life. Exposure to ultrafine particles over the complete lifetime occupational history was assessed using the French job exposure matrix MATPUF. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).
Results: There was no association between exposure to ultrafine particles and lung cancer after adjustment for smoking and exposure to asbestos and crystalline silica.
Conclusion: The findings do not indicate increased risks of lung cancer for UFP after adjustment for level of exposure to asbestos, crystalline silica, and smoking status.
BMC Public Health , article en libre accès, 2025