Electrophoresis 'part of proposed plan to evaluate nurses' occupational health risks'

Researchers have revealed that they are set to use quantitative analysis to study the occupational risks undertaken by nurses who handle antineoplastic treatments.

Published in BioMedCentral, the proposal outlined by Italian scientists is set to evaluate the potential carcinogenic and mutagenic risks from both an environmental and an epidemiological front.

From approximately five hospitals in northern and central Italy, 80 nurses who regularly handle or prepare antineoplastic drugs, as well as 80 who do not, will be evaluated.

Electrophoresis, alongside other techniques, will be used to determine "biomarkers of effect and susceptibility".

"Statistical analysis will be performed to ascertain the association between occupational exposure and to antineoplastic drugs and biomarkers of DNA and chromosome damage," comment the researchers, adding that this will follow the consideration of confounding exposures and genetic susceptibility.

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