Adenocarcinoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses in woodworkers in the state of Victoria, Australia

Abstract

The case index of the Cancer Institute of Victoria (Australia) contained 19 cases of adenocarcinoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Eighteen of the cases were in men and 1 in a women. Routine questioning of these patients revealed an occupation involving woodworking in 7 cases, whereas among 80 cases of other malignant tumors of the nose and sinuses there were only 4 who had been woodworkers. Among the patients with adenocarcinoma of the nose and sinuses, there was a significantly higher proportion of woodworkers than in the general population. The findings are consistent with European reports associating nasal adenocarcinoma with wood dust, but whereas the workers at risk in Europe are mainly in the furniture industry, some of the workers affected in Victoria have been sawmillers or carpenters. The specific salivary patterns of tumors of mucous glands are not associated with woodworking.