article Closed Access EN 2010-10-01

Chromosome 5 and 7 Abnormalities in Oncology Personnel Handling Anticancer Drugs

Melissa A. McDiarmid, M. Sieber Oliver, Tracy Roth, Bonnie Rogers, Carmen P. Escalante

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 52, Issue 10, pp. 1028–1034 (2010)

University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland Medical Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e3181f73ae6 PMID: 20881619

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of "signature" chromosomal abnormalities in oncology workers handling anticancer drugs. METHODS: Peripheral blood from health care personnel (N = 109) was examined with probes for targets on chromosomes 5, 7, and 11. The effect of drug-handling frequency on chromosome abnormalities was assessed. RESULTS: An excess of structural (0.18 vs 0.02; P = 0.04) and total abnormalities (0.29 vs 0.04; P = 0.01) of chromosome 5 was observed in the high-exposure group compared with the unexposed. Increased incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for abnormalities of chromosome 5 (IRR = 1.24; P = 0.01) and for either chromosome 5 or 7 (IRR = 1.20; P = 0.01) were obtained at 100 handling events. Effect sizes were augmented 2- to 4-fold when alkylating agent handling alone was considered. CONCLUSIONS: Biologically important exposure to genotoxic drugs is apparently occurring in oncology work settings despite reported use of safety practices.