Occupational hazards and the development of lung cancer: an analysis of exposures and their implications for worker health

Our plain-English summary of Occupational hazards and the development of lung cancer: an analysis of exposures and their implications for worker health, by M. de Sousa Alves, L.S.S. de Carvalho, L.T. Nogueira, et al (Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do Trabalho, 2025).

The study

• Authors: M. de Sousa Alves, L.S.S. de Carvalho, L.T. Nogueira, S.A.S. Furtado
• Journal: Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do Trabalho
• Published: 2025;23(3):e20251417
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 1 article, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is associated with occupational exposure to carcinogenic agents such as asbestos, silica, welding fumes, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. This study analyzed the occupational risks related to lung cancer and their implications for workers' health. It is an integrative literature review, with searches conducted in SciELO, LILACS, and PubMed databases as well as institutional publications. A total of 13 studies were selected, including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and observational studies, providing a comprehensive view of the impact of prolonged exposure to carcinogenic substances in sectors such as construction, mining, and the chemical industry. The results show an association between occupational exposure and an increased incidence of lung cancer among workers. Weaknesses in inspection and in the implementation of preventive measures exacerbate this scenario. Studies highlight the need for stricter public policies, stronger regulations, and the expansion of early screening programs for exposed workers. Replacing harmful substances, combined with effective preventive measures, can significantly reduce cases of occupational lung cancer.

In plain English

This article was an integrative literature review, not a new study of workers. The authors searched the SciELO, LILACS and PubMed databases, plus institutional publications such as those of the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. They looked for peer-reviewed studies from 2014 to 2024 on lung cancer and occupational exposure in Brazil. Of 53 articles selected after first screening, 13 were included. These were published between 2016 and 2024 and included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case-control studies and biomarker analyses. The authors reported that most included studies emphasized an association between workplace exposure to substances such as asbestos, silica, welding fumes, hydrocarbons and heavy metals and lung cancer. Several included studies concerned asbestos. The authors described one Brazilian mortality study as finding higher lung cancer mortality among asbestos-exposed men and higher ovarian cancer mortality among exposed women. The review gave no risk figures from the studies it covered. The authors concluded that occupational exposure remains a relevant factor in lung cancer, especially in construction, mining, metallurgy and health care, and that weak enforcement and monitoring remain challenges.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Integrative literature review
• Who was studied: Published, peer-reviewed studies on lung cancer and occupational exposure in Brazil, from 2014 to 2024, in Portuguese, English or Spanish. The search was done in SciELO, LILACS and PubMed between September and December 2024, with an update in February 2025. 13 studies were included.
• Exposure: Occupational exposure to carcinogenic agents, including asbestos, silica (crystalline silica), welding fumes, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, coal, uranium and radiation, in sectors such as construction, mining and the chemical industry
• Main results:
  • After the first screening, 53 articles were selected (21 from PubMed, 3 from SciELO, 29 from LILACS). Of these, 13 were included in the review.
  • The 13 included studies were published between 2016 and 2024.
  • The authors reported that most included studies emphasized an association between occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances and lung cancer and other lung diseases.
  • The authors' table described one included Brazilian mortality study (Saito, 2022) as finding higher lung cancer mortality among asbestos-exposed men and higher ovarian cancer mortality among asbestos-exposed women.
  • The authors' table described one included study on diagnosing asbestos-related lung diseases (Harris, 2019) as reporting an increase in the prevalence of these diseases despite stricter safety regulations.
  • The authors' table described one included genetic study of asbestos-exposed shipyard workers (Crovella, 2022) as indicating greater genetic predisposition to lung cancer in these workers.
  • The authors' table described one included public health study (Algranti, 2019) as reporting growth in asbestos exposure prevention policies but still high exposure in specific sectors in Latin America.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances remains a relevant factor in lung cancer among workers, particularly in construction, mining, metallurgy and health care. They also concluded that insufficient enforcement and lack of effective monitoring remain significant challenges.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Lung Cancer, Occupational Exposure, Carcinogenic, Systematic Review.

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