Lee Youngshin, Kwon Jiwoon, Jang Miyeon, Ma Seongwon, Jun Kyo Yeon, Yoon Minjoo, Ye Shinhee
Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Ulsan, Korea.
Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Incheon, Korea.
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2024 Jul 5;36:e17. doi: 10.35371/aoem.2024.36.e17. eCollection 2024.
Formaldehyde was classified as a Group I Carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2006. While the IARC has stated that there is a lack of evidence that formaldehyde causes brain cancer, three meta-analyses have consistently reported a significantly higher risk of brain cancer in workers exposed to high levels of formaldehyde. Therefore, we report a case of a worker who was diagnosed with glioblastoma after being exposed to high concentrations of formaldehyde while working with formaldehyde resin in the paper industry.
A 40-year-old male patient joined an impregnated paper manufacturer and performed impregnation work using formaldehyde resin for 10 years and 2 months. In 2017, the patient experienced a severe headache and visited the hospital for brain magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a mass. In the same year, the patient underwent a craniotomy for brain tumor resection and was diagnosed with glioblastoma of the temporal lobe. In 2019, a craniotomy was performed owing to the recurrence of the brain tumor, but he died in 2020. An exposure assessment of the work environment determined that the patient was exposed to formaldehyde above the exposure threshold of 0.3 ppm continuously for more than 10 years and that he had high respiratory and dermal exposure through performing work without wearing a respirator or protective gloves.
This case report represents the first instance where the epidemiological investigation and evaluation committee of the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute in Korea recognized the scientific evidence of work-related brain tumors due to long-term exposure to high concentrations of formaldehyde during impregnated paperwork. This case highlights the importance of proper workplace management, informing workers that prolonged exposure to formaldehyde in impregnation work can cause brain tumors and minimizing exposure in similar processes.
2006年，国际癌症研究机构（IARC）将甲醛列为I类致癌物。虽然IARC表示缺乏证据表明甲醛会导致脑癌，但三项荟萃分析一致报告称，接触高浓度甲醛的工人患脑癌的风险显著更高。因此，我们报告一例在造纸行业使用甲醛树脂工作时接触高浓度甲醛后被诊断为胶质母细胞瘤的工人病例。
一名40岁男性患者入职一家浸渍纸制造商，使用甲醛树脂进行浸渍工作10年零2个月。2017年，患者出现严重头痛，前往医院进行脑部磁共振成像检查，结果显示有肿块。同年，患者接受了开颅手术以切除脑肿瘤，被诊断为颞叶胶质母细胞瘤。2019年，因脑肿瘤复发进行了开颅手术，但他于2020年去世。对工作环境的暴露评估确定，患者连续10多年接触高于0.3 ppm暴露阈值的甲醛，并且由于在工作时未佩戴呼吸器或防护手套，其呼吸道和皮肤暴露程度较高。
本病例报告是韩国职业安全与健康研究所的流行病学调查和评估委员会首次认可因在浸渍纸工作中长期接触高浓度甲醛而导致与工作相关脑肿瘤的科学证据。该病例突出了适当的工作场所管理的重要性，告知工人在浸渍工作中长时间接触甲醛会导致脑肿瘤，并在类似过程中尽量减少暴露。
