Is Shift Work Associated with Pancreatic Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Ahmed Arafa1, Mohamed Elsheikh21Department of Preventive Cardiology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan, 2Department of Health Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan,
Objectives: Pancreatic cancer (PaC) is a highly fatal disease that can be influenced by occupational factors. Shift work has been suggested to be carcinogenic, yet little is known about its association with PaC. Herein, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the potential association between shift work and PaC. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed and Scopus databases for eligible studies. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PaC risk were calculated for those who had engaged in shift work. We used the IČ statistic to measure heterogeneity across studies and the test for funnel plot asymmetry to assess publication bias. Results: This meta-analysis incorporated five studies involving participants from various regions, including Japan, the United States, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. Combined, shift work was not associated with PaC: HR (95% CI) =1.05 (0.91, 1.20). Neither heterogeneity across studies (IČ=0.0% and p-heterogeneity = 0.913) nor publication bias (z=-0.276 and p-publication bias=0.783) was detected. The results remained consistent in both sexes and PaC incidence and mortality. Conclusion: Shift work does not seem to elevate the risk of PaC. Keywords: Meta-analysis, pancreatic cancer, shift work, systematic review.
Cite This Article
Arafa A, Elsheikh M. Is Shift Work Associated with Pancreatic Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. EJMO. 2024; 8(3): 295-301
Corresponding Author: Ahmed Arafa