Exposure to Antineoplastic Drugs in Occupational Settings: A Systematic Review of Biological Monitoring Data

Veruscka Leso, Cristina Sottani, Carolina Santocono, Francesco Russo, Elena Grignani and Ivo Iavicoli
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Veruscka Leso: Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Cristina Sottani: Environmental Research Center, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Salvatore Maugeri, 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Carolina Santocono: Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Francesco Russo: Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Elena Grignani: Environmental Research Center, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Salvatore Maugeri, 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Ivo Iavicoli: Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-25

Abstract: The high toxicity of antineoplastic drugs (ADs) makes them dangerous not only for patients, but also for exposed workers. Therefore, the aim of this review was to provide an updated overview of the biological monitoring of occupational AD exposure in order to extrapolate information useful to improve risk assessment and management strategies in workplaces. Several studies demonstrated that remarkable portions of healthcare workers may have traces of these substances or their metabolites in biological fluids, although with some conflicting results. Nurses, directly engaged in AD handling, were the occupational category at higher risk of contamination, although, in some cases, personnel not involved in AD-related tasks also showed quantifiable internal doses. Overall, further research carried out on greater sample sizes appears necessary to gain deeper insight into the variability retrieved in the reported results. This may be important to understand the impact of the extent of ADs use, different handling, procedures, and cleaning practices, spill occurrence, training of the workforce, as well as the adoption of adequate collective and personal protective equipment in affecting the occupational exposure levels. This may support the achievement of the greatest clinical efficiency of such therapies while assuring the health and safety of involved workers.

Keywords: cytotoxic drugs; antiblastic drugs; job exposure; healthcare workers; exposure evaluation; biomarkers; internal dose; human biomonitoring; risk assessment; risk management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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