Cross-Sectional Multicenter Biomonitoring Study on Genotoxicity and Oxidative DNA Damage in Oncology Healthcare Workers from Seven Italian Hospitals
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Cancer cases have been estimated that will increase in the next years with consequent increase of antineoplastic (AD) drug treatments and workers handling these hazardous chemicals. We aimed to evaluate genotoxic/oxidative effects of AD exposure by fpg-comet assay on a large size sample of workers (214 exposed and 164 controls) involved in preparation; administration, including Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC); and disposal. With the final aim to identify suitable early biomarkers of genotoxic effect useful to health surveillance, we correlated fpg-comet assay (blood) and Buccal Micronucleus Cytome (BMCyt) assay data. Fpg-comet parameters resulted higher in the exposed group vs. controls, demonstrating direct and oxidative DNA damage in workers handling ADs. Fpg-comet direct DNA damage and genotoxic parameters of BMCyt assay demonstrated a weak statistically significant correlation. This cross-sectional study is one of the few available evaluating both direct and oxidative DNA damage due to ADs on a large sample size of workers and correlating fpg-comet and BMCyt assay results. It highlights the need to evaluate genotoxic effects by both the biomarkers and furnishes a contribution to their validation. Moreover, we demonstrate for the first time oxidative DNA damage on workers performing HIPEC and PIPAC administration.
Source: Journal of Xenobiotics
DOI: 10.3390/jox16010012
Authors: Cinzia Lucia Ursini, Giorgia Di Gennaro, Giuliana Buresti, Raffaele Maiello, Anna Maria Fresegna, Aureliano Ciervo, Marco Gentile, Virginia Di Basilio, Sabrina Beltramini, Daniela Gaggero, Nicoletta Rigamonti, Erica Maccari, Giorgia Zorzetto, Piera Maiolino, Pasquale Di Filippo, Maria Concetta Bilancio, Paolo Baldo, Valeria Martinello, Andrea Di Mattia, Chiara Esposito, Patrizia Nardulli, Mariarita Laforgia, Maria Vittoria Visconti, Matteo Vitali, Emanuela Omodeo-Salè, Delia Cavallo
Institutions: Istituto Nazionale per l'Assicurazione Contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Sapienza University of Rome, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Istituto Oncologico Veneto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Campus Bio Medico University Hospital, Istituto Tumori Bari, European Institute of Oncology
Language: English
Subfield: Cancer Research
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,930
OpenAlex ID: W7124064118