Occupational benzene exposure and skin cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Exposure to benzene is a widespread occupational hazard that has been associated with haematopoietic neoplasms. The increasing awareness of the health effects that can arise from extended dermal contact with aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, may elevate the risk of skin cancer.

This study addresses the association between occupational benzene exposure and its incidence and mortality, encompassing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as well as cutaneous melanoma (CM).

After removing duplicates, we screened 5652 articles from four different sources (Embase, Pubmed, Scopus and IARC Monographs), retrieving 29 independent studies on occupational benzene exposure and skin cancer. The meta-analysis used a random-effects model, overall and stratifying by gender, publication year, outcome, geographic region, industry type and study design.

The analysis encompasses 18 risk estimates on CM and 21 on either NMSC or not-specified skin cancer (NM/NS) mostly from Europe and North America and predominantly from oil industry cohorts. There was no association with either CM (relative risk [RR] = 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81; 1.21) or NM/NS (RR = 1.19, 95% CI 0.94; 1.50), except for a positive association between employment in the chemical industry and NM/NS risk. There was no evidence of publication bias for either type of cancer (P = 0.70 and P = 0.08).

Our meta-analysis found no association between occupational benzene exposure and skin cancer. Further research should aim to describe the association of benzene exposure with skin cancer in less developed countries and among various occupations.