Lung Cancer Occurring in a Worker Exposed to Coke Oven Emissions.
- Author:
Hyun Sul LIM
1
;
Jung Keun CHOI
;
Eun Hye KWON
;
Heon KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Korea. wisewine@dongguk.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Lung neoplasms;
Coke;
1-hydroxypyrene;
2-naphthol;
Occupational health
- MeSH:
Coke*;
Employment;
Humans;
Lung Neoplasms*;
Lung*;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Occupational Diseases;
Occupational Health;
Plants;
Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic;
Smoking Cessation;
Social Control, Formal;
Steel;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed;
Workplace
- From:Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2002;14(1):97-106
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: We report a case of lung cancer (small cell carcinoma) occurring in a worker exposed to coke oven emissions. METHODS: We examined the chest CT and pathologic findings of the patient. We reviewed previous environmental measurements for coke oven emissions at the workers place of employment. Also we measured the airborne concentrations for coke oven emissions and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the work area. Finally, we analyzed the 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol concentrations in the subjects urine and compared this with student controls. RESULTS: This case was a 56-year-old male who had worked in a coke oven plant within a steel manufacturing factory for 21 years (1977-1998). The airborne concentrations of coke oven emissions at the worksite were above the permissible exposure level (0.2 mg/m3) in 45 cases (33.1%) among 136 workers. The concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene and 2-naphthol in the subjects urine were statistically significantly elevated as compared with those of controls (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that the lung cancer occurring in this patient was as an occupational disease due to exposure to coke oven emissions. To prevent occupational cancer in coke oven plant workers, we must remodel the engineering procedure, begin comprehensive medical surveillance, educate workers on risks and the benefits of smoking cessation, and increase awareness of safety regulations in the workplace.
