Caucasians get skin cancer due to increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Occupational skin cancer was formerly attributed to chemical and ionizing radiation exposure. Due to widespread cases, intensive UV exposure is also now an occupational risk. This study explores the types, hazards, and safety measures associated with such cancers.
Non-melanoma skin cancer can be of the basal cell (BCC) or squamous (SCC) cell type. BCC is four times more frequent than SCC. Their risk factors are skin color, age, gender, genetics, ethnicity, location, occupation, ethnicity, and medical conditions. Systemic reviews and meta-analysis helped to relate UV exposure to cancer risk. PubMed literature is the primary source to identify 18 studies for a systematic review. They included six cohort studies and 12 case-controlled studies.
The results of 16 studies (89%) found an increased risk of SCC due to occupational UV exposure. It achieved a statistical significance of 12. Two studies found no relation between occupational UV and SCC, and the pooled odds ratios were 1.77 compared to 1.68 of the cohort study and 1.77 of the case-control study. Meta-regression analyses also showed indoor workers were at less risk of getting SCC.
UV radiation at the workplace is a substantial and robust risk for SCC. However, there is no concrete link between BCC and outdoor, occupational UV exposure.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2012.11090.x
