Urinary biological monitoring markers of anticancer drug exposure in oncology nurses.

Abstract

People handling anticancer drugs or their wastes may absorb these potent genotoxic agents. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of some general urinary markers among 24 female oncology nurses handling these drugs in comparison with 25 "unexposed" nurses. The markers were the Salmonella typhimurium reverse and forward mutation assays, total thioethers, and D-glucaric acid. The reverse mutation assay was the most specific and sensitive marker for anti-cancer drug exposure. Use of the marker battery was no great advantage as a screening tool relative to use of the reverse mutation assay alone. Better recording of work practices in nurse work logs would have improved interpretation of results.

Urine mutagenicity of farmers occupationally exposed during a 1-day use of chlorothalonil and insecticides

“…As an internal dosimeter, urine mutagenicity has the ability to demonstrate that an exposure to a variety of substances has resulted in their uptake, bio-activation, and excretion as pro-mutagens or mutagens. Newman et al (1994) and Thiringer et al (1991) have conducted studies on nurses exposed to cytostatic drugs, using the Ames test together with other STTs (SCE, MNs in peripheral lymphocytes) or other markers (total thioether and D-glucaric acid). In contrast, for exposures such as oxidation hair dyes (Sardas et al 1997), toluene (Pelclova et al 2000), acrylonitrile (Borba et al 1996), or halothane (Karelovaè t al.…”

Study protocol for the assessment of nurses internal contamination by antineoplastic drugs in hospital centres: a cross-sectional multicentre descriptive study

“…For each urine sample, four extraction methods followed by a validated analytical method will be performed. Moreover, urine creatinine will be analysed for each urine sample to account for dilution 60 61. The result will be expressed according to the AD concentration level (ng/L and ng/g of urinary creatinine).…”