11/08/22: Assessment of Chemotherapy Drugs in Occupational Settings

Recorded on Tuesday, November 8, 2022

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Assessment of Chemotherapy Drugs in Occupational Settings

About the webinar:

The American Cancer Society estimated there would be more than 1.8 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2020, an increase of 55% over the last 15 years. This correlates with an expected 58 million patient oncology clinic visits in the United States. The increase in cancer incidence and patients undergoing chemotherapy has exacerbated the need for oncology technicians to administer treatment and patient caregivers to act as a support system. Cancer is also the leading cause of death in dogs, with an estimated 1 in 3 dogs developing the disease. Similar to cancer incidence and chemotherapy treatment for humans, cancer chemotherapy for dogs has become more common. Dogs treated with antineoplastic drugs may act as a source of secondary exposure, but the extent of surface contamination from antineoplastic drugs is currently unclear. This research aims to quantify potential exposure to healthcare workers and dog-owners, and to better understand and characterize the health risks associated with workplace exposure to chemotherapy drugs. Achieving these goals will help to inform effective strategies to eliminate hazardous exposures in the clinic, as well as potential secondary home exposure.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

  • Identify potential exposures to chemotherapy drugs from contaminated occupational surfaces

  • Describe potential intervention methods such as PPE or training to reduce exposure

  • Discuss collaboration efforts between researchers and workers to address research findings

Speaker: Andrew Floeder

Andrew Floeder is a third-year Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, studying Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology. He works in Dr. Silvia Balbo's lab at the Masonic Cancer Center, analyzing exposures from different environmental sources that lead to DNA adducts using mass spectrometry. He has also worked on several projects with Dr. Susan Arnold, looking at the surface contamination of chemotherapy drugs in veterinary oncology clinics to help improve decontamination protocols and reduce potential secondhand exposure, which is currently the focus of his doctoral thesis.

ACCREDITATION

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 Contact Hour. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Certificates of Completion

Certificates of Completion will be available to webinar participants who are present for the complete, live webinar, and logged in with their registered email address. Call-in attendees are not eligible for certificates at this time - Please download the Zoom app to log in via email on your smartphone whenever possible.

In order to receive your Certificate of Completion, qualified learners must complete the post-webinar evaluation within 7 days of the webinar. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to qualified learners 24 hours after the webinar via no-reply@zoom.us. Qualified learners who submit their evaluation will receive a Certificate of Completion via email, and can also print/save the certificate from their browser after submitting their evaluation.

If you're not able to attend the live presentation, no problem! We record most presentations and will host them on our website provided we have permission to do so. Presentation recordings are not eligible for Certificates of Completion.

Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research Center

About Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety (MCOHS):

The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety (MCOHS) offers rigorous academic training and research in occupational safety and health.  Our faculty, staff, and vast network of partners in public health, business and industry, healthcare, and community engagement are here to help you gain skills and experience for a challenging and rewarding career in public health. The MCOHS offers MS, MPH and PhD degree programs.

ACCESSIBILITY:

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Michelle Meyer at (510) 642-8365 or mmeyer@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.