Paternal exposure to paint linked to eight-fold eye cancer risk

A new study has revealed that the offspring of fathers exposed to paint in their job have an eight-fold increased risk of eye cancer.

The research, which was published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, also found that the children of mothers exposed to chemicals or radiation during their pregnancy had a five-fold enhanced risk of developing retinoblastoma.

The sons and daughters of fathers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) also had a 50% increased risk of developing the childhood eye cancer. The risk was highest among the children of older fathers exposed to paint or PAHs.

Occupations that may involve exposure to PAHs include tire and rubber manufacturing workers as well as machinists, roofers and road workers.

Study author, Dr Julia Heck, told OT that the study provides additional support for the importance of protecting pregnant women from radiation and chemical exposure.

The research also highlights the need to study the behaviours and exposures of fathers, she added.