Saf Health Work.  2010 Dec;1(2):134-139.

Occupational Lung Cancer Surveillance in South Korea, 2006-2009

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea. ekeeper@inha.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
  • 3Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 4Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
  • 5Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
  • 6Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Wonju Christian Hospital, Wonju, Korea.
  • 7Department of Internal Medicine, Wonju Christian Hospital, Wonju, Korea.
  • 8Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 9Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
  • 10Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Eulgi University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
  • 11Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
  • 12Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Koshin University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
  • 13Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Catholic University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 14Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Inje University Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
  • 15Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Busan University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
  • 16Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVES
The lung cancer mortality in Korea has increased remarkably during the last 20 years, and has been the first leading cause of cancer-related deaths since 2000. The aim of the current study was to examine the time trends of occupational lung cancer and carcinogens exposure during the period 2006-2009 in South Korea, by assessing the proportion of occupational burden.
METHODS
We defined occupational lung cancer for surveillance, and developed a reporting protocol and reporting website for the surveillance of occupational lung cancer. The study patients were chosen from 9 participating university hospitals in the following 7 areas: Seoul, Incheon, Wonju, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, and Gwangju.
RESULTS
The combined proportion of definite and probable occupational lung cancer among all lung cancers investigated in this study was 10.0%, 8.6%, 10.7%, and 15.8% in the years 2006 to 2009, respectively, with an average of 11.7% over the four-year study period. The main carcinogens were asbestos, crystalline silica, radon, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), diesel exhaust particles, chromium, and nickel.
CONCLUSION
We estimated that about 11.7% of the incident lung cancer was preventable. This reveals the potential to considerably reduce lung cancer by intervention in occupational fields.

Keyword

Occupational cancer; Lung cancer; Surveillance; Occupational disease burden; Asbestos

MeSH Terms

Asbestos
Carcinogens
Chromium
Crystallins
Hospitals, University
Humans
Hydrocarbons
Korea
Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Radon
Republic of Korea
Silicon Dioxide
Vehicle Emissions
Asbestos
Carcinogens
Chromium
Crystallins
Hydrocarbons
Radon
Silicon Dioxide
Vehicle Emissions
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