PARENTAL OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE AND CHILDHOOD CANCER IN MATO GROSSO: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Resumo

INTRODUCTION: Child and adolescent cancer are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in children and adolescents between the ages of zero and nineteen. Among the factors associated with the increase in cases is parental exposure to physical and chemical agents in the preconception period and during pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: To describe parental exposure of parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer in the state of Mato Grosso. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is an observational study based on an analysis of medical records and telephone interviews with parents or guardians of children and adolescents treated at a referral hospital in Mato Grosso. The parents' occupation was classified according to the subgroups of the Brazilian Classification of Occupations. RESULTS: 28 interviews were conducted with parents and/or guardians of children aged between 2 and 19. Among the mothers, the highest proportion had completed high school (35.7%) and were aged between 20 and 24 during pregnancy (32.1%). In the pre-conception period, the most common occupation was saleswoman and demonstrator (29.2%), while during pregnancy, domestic workers
predominated (45.8%). Among the fathers, 35.7% were over 35 years old and had a similar level of education to the mothers. In the pre-conception period and during pregnancy, 14.4% were rural workers and 10.7% worked in construction. As for residence,
85.7% lived in urban areas, 46.4% reported aerial spraying of pesticides in their municipalities, and 35.7% lived near agricultural crops. CONCLUSION: Most of the mothers worked in commerce before pregnancy and later migrated to domestic work. Among the fathers, there was a predominance of rural and construction workers, sectors frequently exposed to harmful chemical and physical agents with carcinogenic and mutagenic potential. In addition, environmental exposure was also relevant, since many participants lived in areas where pesticides were sprayed and near crops. These findings reinforce the need for future studies to explore the relationship between parental occupations and the development of childhood cancer in Brazil.