Lung cancer and wood dust exposure

Lung cancer deaths account for the largest number of US cancer deaths ascribed to occupational carcinogen exposures. Wood dust has been implicated as a carcinogen in numerous case-control studies. A recent lung cancer case- control study in African-Americans reported significantly elevated lung cancer risk for wood dust exposure. Synergistic effects were noted between wood dust exposure and cigarette smoking and with mutagen sensitivity, a marker of cancer susceptibility.