title: Biomarkers of carcinogen exposure and cancer risk in a coke plant.
abstract: To evaluate the association between an indicator of carcinogen exposure (peripheral blood leukocyte DNA adducts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and an early indicator of neoplastic transformation (sputum epithelial cell membrane antigens binding by monoclonal antibodies against small cell lung cancer and against nonsmall cell lung cancer), a survey of 350 coke-oven workers and 100 unexposed workers was planned. This paper reports a pilot investigation on a subgroup of 23 coke-oven workers and 8 unexposed controls. A "gas regulator" worker with positive tumor antigen binding was identified. Results show that smokers, subjects with decreased pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec/forced vital capacity% < 80), and those with morphological dysplasia of sputum cells have higher levels of DNA adducts. The gas regulators showed the highest values for adducts; however, no significant difference of adduct levels was found between the coke-oven group and unexposed controls.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina del Lavoro, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Assennato
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tockman
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schoket
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Corrado
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Strickland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003077:Coke; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; D003077:Coke; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D004247:DNA