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Background: Organic dust is a complex mixture of particulate matter from microbial, plant or animal origin. Occupations with exposure to animal products have been associated with an increased lung cancer risk, while exposure to microbial components (eg, endotoxin) has been associated with a decreased risk. To date there has not been a comprehensive evaluation of the possible association between occupational organic dust exposure (and its specific constituents) and lung cancer risk in the general population.Methods: The SYNERGY project has pooled information on lifetime working and smoking from 13 300 lung cancer cases and 16 273 controls from 11 case-control studies conducted in Europe and Canada. A newly developed general population job-exposure matrix (assigning no, low or high exposure to organic dust, endotoxin, and contact with animals or fresh animal products) was applied to determine level of exposure. ORs for lung cancer were estimated by logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, study, cigarette pack-years, time since quitting smoking, and ever employment in occupations with established lung cancer risk.Results: Occupational organic dust exposure was associated with increased lung cancer risk. The second to the fourth quartile of cumulative exposure showed significant risk estimates ranging from 1.12 to 1.24 in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.001). This association remained in the highest quartile after restricting analyses to subjects without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma. No association was observed between lung cancer and exposure to endotoxin or contact with animals or animal products.Conclusion: Occupational exposure to organic dust was associated with increased lung cancer risk in this large pooled case-control study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Diesel motor exhaust is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as probably carcinogenic to humans. The epidemiologic evidence is evaluated as limited because most studies lack adequate control for potential confounders and only a few studies have reported on exposure-response relationships.Objectives: Investigate lung cancer risk associated with occupational exposure to diesel motor exhaust, while controlling for potential confounders.Methods: The SYNERGY project pooled information on lifetime work histories and tobacco smoking from 13,304 cases and 16,282 controls from 11 case-control studies conducted in Europe and Canada. A general population job exposure matrix based on ISCO-68 occupational codes, assigning no, low, or high exposure to diesel motor exhaust, was applied to determine level of exposure.Measurements and Main Results: Odds ratios of lung cancer and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by unconditional logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, study, ever-employment in an occupation with established lung cancer risk, cigarette pack-years, and time-since-quitting smoking. Cumulative diesel exposure was associated with an increased lung cancer risk highest quartile versus unexposed (odds ratio 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.43), and a significant exposure-response relationship (P value < 0.01). Corresponding effect estimates were similar in workers never employed in occupations with established lung cancer risk, and in women and never-smokers, although not statistically significant.Conclusions: Our results show a consistent association between occupational exposure to diesel motor exhaust and increased risk of lung cancer. This association is unlikely explained by bias or confounding, which we addressed by adjusted models and subgroup analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity is of great benefit to women treated for breast cancer and can even be vital. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe how women treated for breast cancer experience physical activity after surgery. Twelve women, strategically selected according to hospital, age and length of time since surgery, took part in a semi-structured interview. A qualitative method with a phenomenographic approach was used. The result indicates that the incentive to remain or return to a normal physical condition is an important motive for physical activity after breast cancer surgery. The experience of physical activity was, from the women's perspective, expressed in (i) compliance to instructions and need for support, (ii) struggle to get back to normal and fear of negative side-effects, (iii) a wish to stay normal and not allow limitations and (iv) getting control of the situation with new strategies. In conclusion, instructions and motivation are important in starting up and/or continuing physical activity after breast cancer treatment. While in considering the vital benefits of physical activity for breast cancer patients healthcare professionals, and in particular physiotherapists, must be aware of the need for information and the patients' motive for exercise and physical activity to be able to guide and encourage them individually. The professionals must also understand the need for empowerment for these women to take control over their lives and to allow the limitations that eventually occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]