| The use of antineoplastic chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer and some other non-neoplastic diseases has expanded widely during the past several decades. During the past decade, there has been growing concern regarding the safety of healthcare workers who handle these agents. The literature has described adverse health effects such as chromosomal aberrations, reproductive dysfunction, and acute symptomatology. At present, the literature is lacking research that investigates the occupational exposure to chemotherapy and potential adverse effects among nurse's offspring. Using a retrospective case-control design, a survey of 7500 members of the Oncology Nursing Society was conducted to identify the potential association between the handling of chemotherapy and the incidence of learning disabilities among offspring of oncology nurses.; The overall response rate was 50%. Controlling for risk factors, significant associations were reported with chemotherapy handling and cancer (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 1.11–9.58), infertility in nurses who handled chemotherapy before the age of 25 (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.05–1.91), and miscarriages (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.001–1.02). Preterm labor was associated with administering nine or greater doses of chemotherapy per day (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.75–5.04) and preterm births were associated with preparing nine or greater doses per day (OR = 5.56, 95% CI = 1.96–15.78). Learning disabilities were associated with the frequency of glove use (OR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.75–3.72). Specific learning disabilities including motor (OR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.30–4.91), cognitive (OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.22–4.17), ADHD (OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.22–4.17), and speech (OR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.58–3.85) were significant. These findings raise many questions regarding the potential long-term effects of chemotherapy handling on both oncology nurses and their offspring. |
