In 1995, the International Agency for Research of
Cancer [8] evaluated wood dust as being carcinogenic
to humans (Group 1). The conclusion was based on a
substantial amount of epidemiological evidence, despite
the sparse knowledge about the underlying mechanisms
and pathways. The studies showed the strongest correlation
between nasal cancer and exposure to dust from
hardwood, especially oak and beech [9]. However, sinonasal
cancer among employees who worked with other
wood types and species has also been reported [8].
In addition to cancer, wood dust exposure is also associated
with non-malignant health effects like impaired
lung function, occupational asthma, rhinitis and allergic
contact dermatitis [10–15]. We therefore tested whether
an indirect pathway involving inflammation and oxidative
stress was related to DNA strand break formation,
which is a potential indicator of a carcinogenic mechanism
[16].