A recent study suggests that individuals working in certain occupations may face an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, indicates that professions such as hairdressers, beauticians, and accountants could be at higher risk. Additionally, individuals employed in sales, retail, clothing, and construction industries may also carry an elevated risk.
However, the study’s authors emphasise that the findings have limitations, and further research is needed to fully understand the connections between ovarian cancer risk and various occupations. Conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal in Canada, the study analysed data from 491 Canadian women with ovarian cancer and compared it to a control group of 897 women without the disease. The researchers also examined the Canadian job-exposure matrix to explore potential workplace exposures, such as exposure to specific chemicals.
After accounting for various influential factors, the study found that certain jobs were associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Individuals who had worked as hairdressers, barbers, or beauticians appeared to have a three-fold higher risk. Women employed in accounting for a decade were twice as likely to develop the disease, while construction workers faced an almost three-fold higher risk. Shop assistants and salespeople had a 45% increased risk, and individuals involved in clothing production or alterations had an 85% increased risk.
The researchers identified several “agents” that individuals with a higher risk were more likely to be exposed to, including cosmetic talc, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, hair dust, synthetic fibers, polyester fibers, organic dyes, pigments, and bleaches. The study’s authors noted that further population-based research is necessary to evaluate potential hazards for female workers and occupations predominantly held by women.
In a related editorial, academics from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland, USA highlighted the under-representation of women in occupational cancer research studies. They emphasised that this study serves as a reminder of the need to improve the study of women’s occupational risks, identify risk factors specific to female cancers, and investigate exposures prevalent in occupations predominantly occupied by women.
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