Study Links Truck Driving to Aggressive Form of Prostate Cancer

Posted on Jan 20, 2014

A recent study found that men who spent a majority of their day driving a truck were as much as four times as likely to develop a highly aggressive form of prostate cancer. This study was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s International Conference. The study was conducted by the National Cancer Institute, the Louisiana State University School of Public Health, the University of North Carolina, and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The occupation of truck driving was the target of this study because of a prior study in 2012, published in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene, which found a link between an aggressive form or prostate cancer and long term exposure to “whole-body vibration”. The study found that in addition to truck drivers being at an increased risk, men who work with heavy equipment, large machinery, and other fields where “whole body vibrations” are par for the course may experience higher rates of this type of cancer as well. The study was able to identify the vibrations as a contributing cause by comparing the rates of this cancer to men who identified their occupations as teacher, a job with little or no exposure to the type of vibrations suspected to be at the root of the problem in this study.

For more information on this study, please visit the LA times article: https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-prostate-cancer-truck-driver-risk-20131029-story.html#axzz2jCmDhgmb

While most truck drivers are aware of the common injuries they face that might entitle them to workers’ comp benefits: herniated discs, torn rotator cuffs, and persistent back pain, it is important to realize the occupation may have other health risks. If you have been injured during the course of your employment as a truck driver, contact the experienced workers’ compensation team at Schmidt Kramer in Central Pennsylvania today.

Our attorneys at Schmidt Kramer have precisely that level of experience in securing workers’ compensation claims for hundreds of satisfied past clients. If you are suffering from occupational repetitive stress injuries, there’s no reason you should suffer needlessly a day more than you have to. You can call us today to take advantage of our experience from the start, rather than wait for your claim to be denied by the insurance officials. Call our Harrisburg office today at 717-888-8888 locally or (717) 888-8888 toll-free to begin.

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