Guo Lin, Li Xiaojun
Medical Simulated Center, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
School of Nursing, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
Front Public Health. 2025 Apr 28;13:1532623. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1532623. eCollection 2025.
The prevalence of night-shift employment is on the rise among full-time and part-time workers globally. Those engaged in night-shift work encounter various biological challenges, including exposure to artificial light during nighttime and disruptions to their circadian rhythms. These factors, along with changes in daily routines and activities, may pose significant risks to the health of night workers. Notably, the number of individuals working overtime or on night shifts has increased across various sectors, particularly in transportation, healthcare, and manufacturing. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified night-shift work as probably carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 2A). Subsequent research has identified several potential mechanisms through which night-shift work may contribute to carcinogenicity: (1) disruption of circadian rhythms, (2) suppression of melatonin levels due to nighttime light exposure, (3) physiological alterations, (4) lifestyle changes, and (5) reduced vitamin D levels resulting from inadequate sunlight exposure. Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant public health challenge, ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in 2020. Other than CRC, other gastrointestinal cancers are also creating a great global health issue because of their morbidity and mortality rates. In this review, we highlight the role of night shifts in disturbing circadian rhythm and how this action leads to carcinogenesis in the GI tract.
全球范围内，全职和兼职工作者中从事夜班工作的比例正在上升。从事夜班工作的人面临各种生理挑战，包括夜间暴露于人造光以及昼夜节律紊乱。这些因素，连同日常工作和活动的变化，可能对夜班工作者的健康构成重大风险。值得注意的是，各个行业中加班或从事夜班工作的人数都有所增加，尤其是在交通运输、医疗保健和制造业。国际癌症研究机构（IARC）已将夜班工作归类为可能对人类致癌（IARC第2A组）。随后的研究确定了夜班工作可能导致致癌性的几种潜在机制：（1）昼夜节律紊乱；（2）夜间光照导致褪黑素水平受到抑制；（3）生理改变；（4）生活方式改变；（5）阳光照射不足导致维生素D水平降低。结直肠癌（CRC）构成了重大的公共卫生挑战，在2020年成为全球癌症相关死亡的第二大主要原因。除了CRC之外，其他胃肠道癌症因其发病率和死亡率也在全球范围内引发了重大的健康问题。在这篇综述中，我们强调了夜班在扰乱昼夜节律方面的作用，以及这种作用如何导致胃肠道致癌。
