Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : September 24, 2018 2:04 PM IST
In the west, now there is a genetic test to detect the risk for prostate cancer. © Shutterstock
September is prostate cancer awareness month. It makes sense to garner more knowledge about this cancer at this moment to be safe and aware. A proper cancer screening can save one in the nick of time. Experts believe that going for a simple PSA test (after the age of 50 for Indian men) can help one detect if they are at risk of developing prostate cancer. An elevated PSA could be indicative of a cancerous growth in the prostate gland. However, at times a PSA could be a false alarm too, as any kind of infection in the gland could also elevate the levels. Nevertheless, a screening is still necessary to be on the safer side. Your urologist would be the ideal person to suggest what steps need to be taken further to go ahead and confirm a diagnosis if at all it is cancer. The risk factors that can considerably increase one's chances are age, genetics and family history. However, there are a few occupations too that can considerably increase one's risk of prostate cancer.
A study published in 2017 in the journal Environ Health took into account 1937 men who were over the age of 70 and had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in Montreal French Hospitals. The study continued from 2005-2009 studying the association between employment across 696 occupations and 613 industries and prostate cancer risk. The study did find out a few occupations that were at risk of developing prostate cancer.
1 Forestry and logging: The study concluded that men who worked in the forestry and logging industry for over 10 years or more were at a greater risk of developing prostate cancer. In fact, the risk was also associated with men who worked in as forest conservationists or forest law enforcement officers. However, the risk was more associated with men who were into the logging industry.
2 Police officers and detectives: This occupation was strangely found to have a risk associated with developing prostate cancer for men who were involved in the industry for more than a decade. While there was no particular reason why this particular group could be at risk of developing prostate cancer but it was concluded that potential exposures of police officers and detectives include PAH and non-ionizing radiation from radar guns could be a reason though the intensity of exposure associated with the use of radar guns is generally very low. Another hypothesis is that their jobs involve high stress and night-shifts, which a lot of studies have linked with increased risk of prostate cancer.
3 People working in chemical factories: The study noted that men who worked in occupations that involved making of paints and decorative items were more at risk of developing prostate cancer due to the direct involvement of industrial chemicals. People working in the paint and varnish industry are usually exposed to a wide array of potential exploits, such as paints, lacquers, binding agents, pigments and solvents, as well as cadmium, which is known to interfere with absorption of zinc and increase one's risk of prostate cancer.
4 White collar jobs such as social sciences, administration and clerical jobs: While these jobs do not make one susceptible to chemical exposure but the high stress involved could act as a trigger.
5 Bus drives and workers at gasoline station: An American study found out that bus drivers were at an elevated risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer. However, it was also seen that truck driver were vulnerable too. There is some evidence that whole-body vibration might play a role in the associations between driving occupations and prostate cancer, but other exposures such as diesel exhaust and PAHs and circadian rhythm disruption may be involved. Even men who worked in gasoline stations were at an elevated risk of developing high-grade cancer.
6 Farming and agriculture: Though the findings have been controversial it is thought that exposure to the high-grade chemicals and pesticides could be a reason for the same.
7 Aircraft and air transportation occupations or industries: Some studies have found some suggestive evidence of higher prostate cancer risk among pilots. Flight deck crew and support operations in the air transportation industry were also found to be at risk for the same. However, reviews of the job descriptions indicate that most of them appear to have worked a significant portion of the time inside hangars, limiting exposure to UV radiation.
While these occupations only go to establish a risk factor, however, it is best that men who belong to this occupation stay aware and go for regular screening to be on the safer side.
