[Validation of a screening method for occupational bladder cancer].

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Occupational Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Transitional bladder cancer is a common malignancy, with occupational exposures to aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as significant risk factors.
• Identifying work-related bladder cancer cases is challenging, particularly in regions like Italy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the screening accuracy of a concise structured interview for identifying potential occupational bladder cancer cases.
• To enable confirmation of suspected cases through subsequent assessment by an occupational physician.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 94 transitional bladder cancer patients hospitalized in Varese, Italy.
• Two occupational exposure indices were developed from a structured interview: DS Index (employment duration) and DSM Index (duration and job title).
• An occupational physician's assessment served as the gold standard for determining occupational origin and accuracy.

Main Results:

• Both DS and DSM indices demonstrated good screening accuracy, with areas under the ROC curve of 0.81 and 0.87, respectively.
• The DSM Index showed superior specificity (72%) compared to the DS Index (64%) at a 90% sensitivity level.
• This indicates the DSM Index is more effective at correctly identifying individuals without occupational bladder cancer.

Conclusions:

• The proposed short structured interview is a practical tool for general practitioners and urologists.
• It aids in detecting suspected occupational bladder cancer cases for referral to occupational physicians.
• This facilitates earlier diagnosis and management of work-related bladder cancer.