A woodworker may develop a sinonasal (nasal cavity or paranasal sinus) carcinoma following years of exposure to wood dust. The risk of cancer may persist for years after the dust exposure has ceased.
Types of carcinomas:
(1) adenocarcinoma
(2) squamous cell carcinoma
Risk factors:
(1) long-term exposure to wood dust
(2) exposure to a significant amount of wood dust (such as machine sanding)
(3) other risk factors for sinonasal cancer (exposure to solvents, adhesives, etc or cigarette smoking)
The risk can be reduced by wood dust mitigation and/or personal protective equipment (PPE).
The respiratory epithelium of the nasal cavity undergoes metaplastic change prior to development of cancer. This means that regular exams may detect workers at high risk for developing a carcinoma.
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