Introduction/framework/objectives:

Hematopoietic oncological pathologies may be associated with some work conditions. The bibliography on the subject is not very exhaustive and, therefore, the associated knowledge is not very developed among professionals in the area and/or workers/managers/employers. The aim of this review is to summarize the most recent and relevant publications on the subject.

Methodology:

This is a Bibliographic Review, initiated through a search carried out in January 2022 in the databases “CINALH plus with full text, Medline with full text, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Nursing and Allied Health Collection: comprehensive, MedicLatina and RCAAP”.

Content:

In the work environment, the most relevant chemical agents in relation to leukemia are benzene, tetrachlorethylene, styrene, chlorophenols, aromatic amines, creosote, chromium, arsenic, ethylene oxide, asbestos, antineoplastic agents and pesticides.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified more than one hundred important chemical carcinogens and, of these, about a quarter increase the risk of leukemia and lymphoma. This entity classifies butadiene and formaldehyde (used in the plastic, rubber and textile production industry, for example) as included in group 1, that is, carcinogenic to humans; it further published that benzene, ethylene oxide, some pesticides and formaldehyde as probably linked to leukemia (group 2a); as well as some types of radiation.

This institution highlighted the existence of a greater hematopoietic risk related to professional activities associated with shipbuilding, footwear and rubber production, although the conclusions are not consensual among researchers. In turn, chimney sweeping work has been shown to be associated with all types of hematopoietic cancer.

Discussion and Conclusions:

There are some risk factors with suspected or proven association with the etiology of some hematopoietic oncological pathologies. It is essential that professionals in the sector acquire a minimum of knowledge regarding what the scarce bibliography describes, so that it is possible to plan collective and individual protection measures that manage to mitigate the risk. It would also be interesting if some occupational health and safety teams, working in institutions with workers exposed to these working conditions, were able to investigate the topic, releasing innovative and/or more complete data to the bibliography than what is currently published.

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