Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and coal tar creosote exposure in a railroad worker.
A 50-year-old male railroad worker presented to his primary care physician with an erythematous, tender skin lesion on the right knee; a biopsy of this lesion revealed squamous cell carcinoma in situ. The site of the lesion was sun-protected but had been associated with 30 years of creosote-soaked clothing. In this article, we review dermal and other malignancies associated with creosote, along with creosote occupational exposures and exposure limits. This is a unique case, given the lack of other, potentially confounding, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and the sun-protected location of the lesion.
Carlsten
Chris
C
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. carlsten@u.washington.edu
Hunt
Stephen Carl
SC
Kaufman
Joel D
JD
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology*; D003020:Clothing; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000737:chemistry*; D003407:Creosote / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011890:Railroads; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*
D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D003033:Coal Tar; D003407:Creosote