Wood dust exposure may boost lung cancer risk

Wood dust is a known human carcinogen.  A new study has now found that exposure to sawdust or wood dust in a sawmill may drastically increase the risk for a person to acquire lung cancer.

The study led by Bhatti P and colleagues from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington compared 440 cases of lung cancer and 845 age-matched controls and found high exposure to wood dust in a sawmill was associated with elevated risk of lung cancer.

The researchers said wood dust has already been associated with sinonasal cancer. The National Toxicology Program recognizes wood dust as a human carcinogen.

Bhatti et al. found those who worked in a sawmill were 50 percent more likely to develop lung cancer.   However, they said they found "no evidence of increased risk  associated with other occupations, working with wood as a hobby or with estimated cumulative exposure to wood dust."

The study was published in Nov 11,2010 issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

David Liu