Occupational-Related Exposure to Benzene and Risk of Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Occupational-Related Exposure to Benzene and Risk of Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Occupational-Related Exposure to Benzene and Risk of Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Vincent DeStefano, Darshi Shah, Veer Shah, Monireh Sadat Seyyedsalehi, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3846812/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose Benzene is a recognized carcinogen; however, its association with breast cancer is not well established. Hence, a meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies was performed to determine the association between occupational benzene exposure and the risk of breast cancer. Methods A systematic literature review identified 7221 publications from which 21 cohort and case-control studies were retained and evaluated using meta-analyses (fixed effects model). PRISMA guidelines were followed. Our protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (Registration No. 379720). Study quality was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Results The summary RR for ever-benzene exposure was 1.08 (95% CI = 1.02–1.14, I 2 = 43.6%, n = 21 risk estimates); corresponding RR for cancer incidence and mortality were 1.08 (95% CI = 1.02–1.14, I 2 = 58.6%, n = 15) and 1.09 (95% CI = 0.87–1.38, I 2 < 0.001%, n = 9), respectively. These main results were confirmed in sub-analyses by geography, industry, publication year, and levels of exposure. No heterogeneity was detected amongst geographical regions (p-het = 0.19) or industry of employment (p-het = 0.05). However, heterogeneity was detected for sex (p-het = 0.002), publication year (p-het < 0.001), study design (p-het < 0.001), and study quality (p-het < 0.001). Publication bias was detected (p = 0.04). Conclusions Our meta-analysis identified an association between occupational benzene exposure and risk of breast cancer. No heterogeneity was detected for occupational cohorts, geographical regions, and durations of exposure. These findings, and an inability to exclude residual confounding, together with publication bias, prevent conclusions of causality. Benzene Breast cancer Meta-analysis Systematic Review Occupational exposure Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3846812","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":267565811,"identity":"81219544-dcb1-4a9f-a483-08f07a8839a9","order_by":0,"name":"Vincent 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Meta-analysis","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Benzene, Breast cancer, Meta-analysis, Systematic Review, Occupational exposure","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3846812/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3846812/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003ePurpose\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBenzene is a recognized carcinogen; however, its association with breast cancer is not well established. Hence, a meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies was performed to determine the association between occupational benzene exposure and the risk of breast cancer.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA systematic literature review identified 7221 publications from which 21 cohort and case-control studies were retained and evaluated using meta-analyses (fixed effects model). PRISMA guidelines were followed. Our protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (Registration No. 379720). Study quality was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe summary RR for ever-benzene exposure was 1.08 (95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.02\u0026ndash;1.14, I\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;43.6%, n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;21 risk estimates); corresponding RR for cancer incidence and mortality were 1.08 (95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.02\u0026ndash;1.14, I\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;58.6%, n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;15) and 1.09 (95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.87\u0026ndash;1.38, I\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001%, n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9), respectively. These main results were confirmed in sub-analyses by geography, industry, publication year, and levels of exposure. No heterogeneity was detected amongst geographical regions (p-het\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.19) or industry of employment (p-het\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.05). However, heterogeneity was detected for sex (p-het\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002), publication year (p-het\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), study design (p-het\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), and study quality (p-het\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Publication bias was detected (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.04).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur meta-analysis identified an association between occupational benzene exposure and risk of breast cancer. No heterogeneity was detected for occupational cohorts, geographical regions, and durations of exposure. These findings, and an inability to exclude residual confounding, together with publication bias, prevent conclusions of causality.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Occupational-Related Exposure to Benzene and Risk of Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-01-18 15:57:59","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3846812/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b769808a-bfa7-45a1-a8f6-1dab6a38b6db","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 18th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-04-04T20:15:26+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-01-18 15:57:59","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-3846812","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-3846812","identity":"rs-3846812","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}