Open AccessBreast cancer and occupational exposures: an integrative review of literature
Author(s) -
Arthur Brito-Marcelino,
Rodrigo Japur Duarte-Tavares,
Katienne Brito Marcelino,
Júlio Alves da Silva-Neto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
revista brasileira de medicina do trabalho
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.181
H-Index - 7
eISSN - 2447-0147
pISSN - 1679-4435
DOI - 10.47626/1679-4435-2020-595
Subject(s) - breast cancer , cancer , medicine , occupational exposure , oncology , environmental health
Occupational factors can lead to breast cancer, though the relationship between these variables is not well established. The objective of this study was to search the relevant literature for information on the association between breast cancer and exposure to occupational risk factors. For that purpose, electronic databases were searched using the following keywords: breast cancer and occupational exposures. A total of 40 articles published in the 10-year period from 2009 to 2019 were included in this review. Workers exposed to metals such as cadmium, chemical products, radiation and night work were more susceptible to breast cancer. The findings showed significant evidence to support an association between breast cancer and some chemical products, ionizing radiation and night work. However, most studies have difficulty establishing a causal relationship between these variables, pointing to the need for further investigation of these issues.