Duration–response association between occupational exposure and pancreatic cancer risk: meta-analysis

• Published in: Occupational medicine (Oxford) 2023-05, Vol.73 (4), p.211-218
• Main Authors: Boonhat, H, Pratama, A P, Lin, J-T, Lin, R-T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Humans; Incidence; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Original Papers; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Pancreatic Neoplasms - chemically induced; Pancreatic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Risk
• ISSN: 0962-7480; 1471-8405; 1471-8405
• DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqad050

Abstract Background Evidence is lacking on the occupational exposure time window to chemical agents related to pancreatic cancer risk. Aims This study performed meta-regression and meta-analysis to examine the dose–response association between occupational exposure duration to chemical agents and pancreatic cancer risk. Methods We searched and reviewed studies on exposure duration and pancreatic cancer in five databases (Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Web of Science) from inception to 16 May 2022. Exposure refers to the years a worker was exposed to any chemical agent, and outcome variables were pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality. Results We identified 31 studies, including 288 389 participants. In the meta-regression, the positive dose–response association indicated pancreatic cancer risk increased slightly with every additional year of exposure duration (slope = 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00–1.02). Pancreatic cancer risk increased with an exposure duration of 1–10 (relative risk [RR] = 1.04; 95% CI 1.02–1.06), 11–20 (RR = 1.11; 95% CI 1.05–1.16), and 21–30 years (RR = 1.39; 95% CI 1.12–1.73). Conclusions Pancreatic cancer risk increased as occupational exposure duration increased, with an exposure time window ranging from 1 to 30 years. We observed a clear duration–response association between occupational exposure to chemical agents and pancreatic cancer risk. Our finding suggests a non-additional pancreatic cancer risk if the exposure time window decreased to less than 1 year, but the risk increased by 39% if the exposure time window increased to 21–30 years.