Many human cancers develop as a result of exposure to risk factors related to the environment and ways of life. The aim of this study was to estimate attributable fractions of 25 types of cancers resulting from exposure to modifiable risk factors in Brazil. The prevalence of exposure to selected risk factors among adults was obtained from population-based surveys conducted from 2000 to 2008. Risk estimates were based on data drawn from meta-analyses or large, high quality studies. Population-attributable fractions (PAF) for a combination of risk factors, as well as the number of preventable deaths and cancer cases, were calculated for 2020. The known preventable risk factors studied will account for 34% of cancer cases among men and 35% among women in 2020, and for 46% and 39% deaths, respectively. The highest attributable fractions were estimated for tobacco smoking, infections, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, excess weight, reproductive factors, and physical inactivity. This is the first study to systematically estimate the fraction of cancer attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in Brazil. Strategies for primary prevention of tobacco smoking and control of infection and the promotion of a healthy diet and physical activity should be the main priorities in policies for cancer prevention in the country.

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In Brazil, gas station workers are occupationally exposed to the benzene present in gasoline. Brazilian law indicates the use of trans,trans-muconic acid(t,t-MA) as a biomarker of benzene exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of exposure to benzene in gas station workers, through the quantification of t,t-MA present in urine. A total number of 269 gas station workers divided into 179 filling station attendants exposed by inhalation and dermal route and 90 convenience store workers exposed only by inhalation were included. A control group was formed by 100 office workers, without occupational exposure to benzene. The urinary levels of t,t-MA were evaluated by HPLC with a UV detector. Gas station workers showed higher mean values of t,t-MA (0.204 mg/g creatinine; 95% CI 0.170–0.237) than office workers (0.126 mg/g creatinine; 95% CI 0.0817–0.1693). T,t-MA levels were higher in convenience store workers exposed to gasoline only by inhalation (0.221 mg/g creatinine; 95% CI 0.160–0.282), than in those exposed to gasoline by inhalation and dermal route—filling station attendants (0.195 mg/g creatinine; 95% CI 0.155–0.235). Gas station workers with a higher level of t,t-MA had epistaxis. T,t-MA values were higher in the Downtown (0.15 mg/g creatinine) region’s workers than in the more affluent South Zone region’s workers (0.07 mg/g creatinine). Smoking habits influenced the urinary t,t-MA values, while the frequency of consumption of industrialized and frozen foods showed no influence.

In this study, we investigated the expression and activity of liver cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and praziquantel (PZQ)

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A legislação brasileira não prevê revisão periódica do registro dos agrotóxicos e, ainda hoje, são utilizados produtos proibidos em outros países. Partindo dos ingredientes ativos de agrotóxicos registrados no país, o presente estudo investigou a situação regulatória internacional nos países-membros da Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE), da Comunidade Europeia e BRICS. Também se buscou relacionar os principais efeitos crônicos à saúde humana e ao meio ambiente dos ingredientes ativos de agrotóxicos mais comercializados no Brasil, em listas de classificação de potencial cancerígeno (Agência de Proteção Ambiental dos Estados Unidos - USEPA e Agência Internacional de Pesquisa em Câncer - IARC), desregulação endócrina e candidatos para substituição (estes dois últimos da Comunidade Europeia). Foram identificados 399 ingredientes ativos de agrotóxicos registrados no Brasil para uso agrícola, excluindo-se os microbiológicos e agentes biológicos de controle. Destes, não têm autorização 85,7% na Islândia, 84,7% na Noruega, 54,5% na Suíça, 52,6% na Índia, 45,6% na Turquia, 44,4% em Israel, 43,4% na Nova Zelândia, 42,4% no Japão, 41,5% na Comunidade Europeia, 39,6% no Canadá, 38,6% na China, 35,8% no Chile, 31,6% no México, 28,6% na Austrália e 25,6% nos Estados Unidos. Foram relacionados a danos à saúde e ao ambiente 120 ingredientes ativos de agrotóxicos. Considerando os ingredientes ativos de agrotóxicos para os quais estão disponíveis dados de comercialização no país, 67,2% deste volume está associado a pelo menos um dano crônico grave avaliado neste estudo. Os resultados do presente estudo indicam a necessidade de promover a transparência das bases de dados internacionais, no que tange às motivações para as respectivas decisões regulatórias e os órgãos reguladores brasileiros reavaliarem o registro de produtos obsoletos, fortalecendo políticas públicas relacionadas à redução do uso de agrotóxicos.