1,721,029 research outputs found
Are we underestimating occupational risks for neurodegenerative diseases?
No full textIn recent years a great number of studies suggests that occupational exposures could play a role in the onset of some neurodegenerative diseases. The literature data are more numerous for Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, although to date no specific occupational exposure was proved to be a definite causal factor. This lack of information is attributable both to the complex patogenesis of these diseases and to a delay regarding this field of research with respect to others pathologies. Nevertheless, available evidence oblige researchers to deepen the studies of occupational exposures as risk factors of neurodegenerative diseases, in order to provide a solid basis possible preventive measures for a class of pathologies with high social impact, both in terms of therapies and in terms of disability
Approcci allo studio delle neoplasie occupazionali a bassa frazione eziologica
No full textI tumori a bassa frazione eziologica
professionale continuano ad essere un problema sanitario
di rilievo, sia considerando che circa il 2-8% di tutti le
neoplasie riconosce una esposizione lavorativa come agente
concausale, sia considerando l’alto numero di lavoratori
tutt’oggi esposti ad agenti cancerogeni sui luoghi di lavoro.
Lo studio dei tumori “a bassa frazione” risulta quindi di grande
interesse tanto da essere inserito come obiettivo dei LEA
(Livelli Essenziali di Assistenza) del Ministero della Salute.
In Italia sono stati utilizzate due principali metodologie
di studio dei tumori a bassa frazione eziologica professionale,
l’una basata sulla ricerca attiva “al letto del malato”
e caratterizzata da un approccio maggiormente
clinico-diagnostico, l’altra realizzata tramite studi
di record-linkage e caratterizzata da un approccio
maggiormente epidemiologico di popolazione.
Il presente lavoro ha condotto una breve analisi comparativa
dei due approcci e dei relativi risultati, il cui esito indica
una validità di entrambi i metodi e una complementarietà
degli approcci che ne suggeriscono l’utilizzo anche
per l’attività di registri tumori specificamente dedicati alla
ricerca dei tumori a bassa frazione eziologica professionale
Cancer as a continuum: a literature review and a biological interpretation
No full textBasic research shows that the genetic control of development cannot fully explain the phenotypic plasticity of humans and other metazoans. This challenges some tenets of the conventional paradigm of life sciences based on DNA, restoring a role of the environment in biological processes like the regulation of development, cell differentiation and disease. The environment — in a broad sense — affects biological phenotypes throughout the entire lifespan and can induce cancer, its progression and recurrence as well as its reversal. This is very important in cancer epidemiology as it implies that environmental exposures can be considered both as risk (or protective) and prognostic factors. This review integrates information from epidemiologic and biological research. We studied the impact of hazardous and protective exposures, lifestyles, and diet on the survival of patients who had been diagnosed with cancer.We selected studies from two digital databases, using a few combinations of key terms, namely overall survival, cancer-specific survival, recurrence and quality of life (QoL). Survival and/or recurrence were expressed as hazard or risk ratios, as second cancer diagnosis and as indicators of QoL such as performance status. We found 53 articles indicating that risk and protective factors can also influence prognosis after cancer diagnosis. Cigarette smoking and, among protective factors, diet and physical activity are the exposures most frequently investigated after a diagnosis of cancer
Musicoterapia e Medicina del Lavoro
No full textL’ascolto musicale e la musicoterapia attiva
possono avere un effetto sia sulle componenti psicologiche
ed emotive dei lavoratori, ma anche su quelle più chiaramente
legate alle prestazioni lavorative, come ad esempio
l’attenzione. Molte sono le categorie professionali che possono
essere interessate a questo tipo di supporto, in particolare quelle
dei lavoratori sottoposti a particolari condizioni di stress.
La musicoterapia quindi si pone sempre più come uno
strumento utile e flessibile a disposizione del medico,
del medico del lavoro e dei professionisti della riabilitazione,
utilizzabile in differenti contesti patologici e non ma anche
in ambito lavorativo
Occupational exposures and colorectal cancers: A quantitative overview of epidemiological evidence.
No full textA traditional belief widespread across the biomedical
community was that dietary habits and genetic predisposition
were the basic factors causing colorectal
cancer. In more recent times, however, a growing evidence
has shown that other determinants can be very
important in increasing (or reducing) incidence of this
malignancy. The hypothesis that environmental and
occupational risk factors are associated with colorectal
cancer is gaining ground, and high risks of colorectal
cancer have been reported among workers in some
industrial branches. The aim of this study was to investigate
the epidemiologic relationship between colorectal
cancer and occupational exposures to several industrial
activities, by means of a scientific literature review and
meta-analysis. This work pointed out increased risks
of colorectal cancer for labourers occupied in industries
with a wide use of chemical compounds, such as
leather (RR = 1.70, 95%CI: 1.24-2.34), basic metals (RR
= 1.32, 95%CI: 1.07-1.65), plastic and rubber manufacturing
(RR = 1.30, 95%CI: 0.98-1.71 and RR = 1.27,
95%CI: 0.92-1.76, respectively), besides workers in the
sector of repair and installation of machinery exposed
to asbestos (RR = 1.40, 95%CI: 1.07-1.84). Based on
our results, the estimated crude excess risk fraction attributable
to occupational exposure ranged from about
11% to about 15%. However, homogeneous pattern
of association between colorectal cancer and industrial
branches did not emerge from this review
Pleural mesothelioma: Case-report of uncommon occupational asbestos exposure in a small furniture industry
No full textThe relationship between asbestos exposure and malignant mesothelioma is no longer disputed, although it is not always easy to trace past occupational exposure. This report describes a case of uncommon asbestos exposure of a small furniture industry worker, who subsequently died of pleural malignant mesothelioma, to stress the crucial importance of a full reconstruction of the occupational history, both for legal and compensation purposes. Sarcomatoid pleural mesothelioma was diagnosed in a 70-year-old man, who was previously employed as a carpenter in a small furniture industry. He worked for about 6 years in the small factory, was exposed to asbestos during the assembly of the furniture inspired by classical architecture, in which asbestos cement tubes were used to reproduce classical columns. During this production process no specific work safety measures were applied, nor masks or local aspirators. No extra-professional exposure to asbestos was identified. This mesothelioma case was investigated by the Public Prosecutor’s assignment that commissioned expert evidence on the legal accountability for the disease. Despite its uncommon expositive circumstance, the length of latency (about 30 years), the duration of exposure, the clinical and histochemical features are all consistent with literature evidence, accounting for the occupational origin of this malignancy
La sorveglianza sanitaria dei lavoratori ex-esposti ad asbesto: Criticità dei protocolli di intervento
No full textThe health surveillance of former-exposed asbestos workers is today a current theme, as well as a social and healthcare need. The long latency periods of asbestos related diseases have determined and determine a constant development of cases of these pathologies. To face with these issues, it is necessary to have available adequate diagnostic, clinical and epidemiological tools, that allow efficient health interventions as well as an acceptance of social and medico-legal requests, claimed by workers exposed to asbestos during their work career. To date, health surveillance protocols available for different Italian regions are uneven. This paper aims to synthetically resume contents of some of these protocols and to discuss them, on the light of emerging literature evidence. Based on these considerations, it is finally proposed a scheme for the health surveillance of former-exposed asbestos workers. This proposal is not intended as a comprehensive treatise, rather than as a preliminary approach of this specific healthcare issue
[The health surveillance of workers previously exposed to asbestos: criticality of intervention protocols]
No full textThe health surveillance of former-exposed asbestos workers is today a current theme, as well as a social and healthcare need. The long latency periods of asbestos related diseases have determined and determine a constant development of cases of these pathologies. To face with these issues, it is necessary to have available adequate diagnostic, clinical and epidemiological tools, that allow efficient health interventions as well as an acceptance of social and medico-legal requests, claimed by workers exposed to asbestos during their work career. To date, health surveillance protocols available for different Italian regions are uneven. This paper aims to synthetically resume contents of some of these protocols and to discuss them, on the light of emerging literature evidence. Based on these considerations, it is finally proposed a scheme for the health surveillance of former-exposed asbestos workers. This proposal is not intended as a comprehensive treatise, rather than as a preliminary approach of this specific healthcare issue
The missing link between human ecology and public health: The case of cancer
No full textThe primary role played by the ‘ecological context’ in clarifying the causes and dynamics of human health and
disease is the topic of this article. It emphasizes that the challenging incidence of cancer and other diseases can be
charged primarily to the effects of the worldwide dominant economic model. Human culture may act as a powerful force affecting the
environment, biology and health of humans and other species. Human culture can be viewed as a special and extreme case
of ‘niche construction’, where human-specific traits, technologies and beliefs act together. The feedback between human activities and the environment
can promote different trends in public health. This should provide the opportunity to rethink the consequences that our
economic model produces both on the environment and on physical, mental and social health of our species
- …
