Women working in commerce, retail, construction and the garment industry are said to be more vulnerable.
- Hairdressers, beauticians and accountants are among the professions that may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
- The risks increase by more than 40% in the event of high cumulative exposure, that is to say of 8 years or more, with 18 different agents.
- Causative agents include talc, ammonia, propellants, gasoline and bleach
About 5,348 new cases of ovarian cancer are recorded in 2023, in France, according to the National Cancer Institute. Environmental factors, including those associated with the workplace, can increase the risk of suffering from it. However, little research has assessed the occupational hazards that women face. This is why researchers from the University of Montreal (Canada) carried out a study.
In their work, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, they analyzed data from 491 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer and compared them with those of 897 healthy women. Additional information was collected from all participants on their socio-demographic background, medical history, medications prescribed, reproductive history, weight and height, lifestyle factors, and birth history. their professional life.
Ovarian cancer: hairdressers, beauticians and barbers would be more at risk
According to the data, women with ovarian cancer were more likely to have a lower level of education, to use oral contraceptives for a shorter time and to have no or fewer children. The authors found that hairdressers, estheticians, barbers, dressmakers, embroiderers, salespeople and accountants were among occupations that may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
In detail, the fact of working for 10 years or more as a hairdresser, barber, beautician was associated with a risk three times higher, while the fact of working for 10 years or more in accounting was associated with a risk twice as high, and working in construction at nearly three times the risk. The same finding: working in the garment industry, including embroidery, was associated with an 85% increased risk of developing the disease, while working in commerce or retail was associated with increased risks, respectively, 45% and 59%.
High cumulative exposure to 18 causative agents
Increased risks of more than 40% were observed with high cumulative exposure (ie 8 years or more), compared to none, to 18 different agents. It’s about “talc, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, hair dust, synthetic fibers, polyester fibers, organic dyes and pigments, cellulose, formaldehyde, propellants, chemicals natural substances contained in gasoline and bleaching agents.”
Hairdressers, estheticians and barbers were the occupations most frequently exposed to 13 agents, including ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, organic dyes and pigments and bleaches. However, scientists do not know whether these associations are due to a single agent, a combination of agents, or other workplace factors.
Include women in studies of occupational cancers
This research “reminds us that while the lack of representation of women in studies of occupational cancer – and even potential strategies to address this issue – have long been recognized, there is still room for improvement in the study of women’s occupational risks. excluding, we miss the opportunity to identify female-specific risk factors for cancers, assess whether there are gender-specific risk differences, and study exposures occurring in predominantly female occupations.” , said doctors Melissa Friesen and Laura Beane Freeman of the US National Cancer Institute in a statement.