Biological markers as a tool in cancer risk assessment in Upper Silesia, Poland

Abstract

Upper Silesia is a densely populated and most polluted, industrial region of southern Poland. The major health hazard for humans comes from mining and/or processing of black coal, which generates a variety of compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Ambient pollution with PAH plays an important role in risk of cancer. Between 1982 and 1997 Upper Silesia served as a study model for multi-center collaborative cancer risk assessment research, which utilized a variety of biological markers (biomarkers). This research started from testing genotoxic activity of air pollutants (using seven in vitro and in vivo tests) and was continued as the molecular epidemiology studies, which utilized eleven biomarkers of internal and biological doses of mutagen, early biologic effects as well as susceptibility markers. An ambient air genotoxicity studies were performed on benzene extracts of suspended matter collected in Upper Silesia while the molecular epidemiologic research involved human volunteers - residents of Upper Silesia and controls from a north-eastern, rural part of Poland. This review summarizes the results, presenting biomarkers as a valuable tool in the assessment of human gene damage. The preliminary results of the follow-up research on cancer incidence or mortality performed, over 10 years later, in the previously studied populations are also presented