Jennifer Ritonja
Scientific Series: November 28, 2024
Working Against the Clock: Night Shift Work as a Potential Carcinogen
Night shift work is a prevalent work schedule in Canada and worldwide, particularly within the healthcare sector. Despite the classification of night shift work as a "probable carcinogen" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2007, the relationship between night shift work and cancer risk remains complex. While epidemiologic studies suggest long-term exposure increases the risk of multiple cancer types, including breast and prostate, results across studies are not consistent. In addition, the mechanisms by which night shift work may increase cancer risk are not well understood, hampering the development of effective prevention strategies. In this talk, Dr. Jennifer Ritonja showcased the current epidemiologic evidence on the association between night shift work and cancer risk, with a particular focus on breast cancer risk. Possible biological mechanisms, risk mitigation strategies and areas for future research were also discussed.
At the end of this presentation, participants were able to:
Evaluate the current epidemiologic evidence linking night shift work to various types of cancer, with a particular focus on breast cancer risk.
Identify the potential biological mechanisms through which night shift work may influence cancer development.
Discuss possible risk mitigation strategies to prevent risks associated with working a night shift schedule.
Dr. Jennifer Ritonja is a postdoctoral fellow in the Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology at McGill University and St. Mary's Research Centre. Her area of research specializes in identifying modifiable risk factors for cancer in women. She holds an MSc and PhD in epidemiology from Queen’s University where her graduate work focused on investigating the adverse health impacts of working night shifts in women for diseases such as breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Jennifer's current postdoctoral work examines the impact of body fatness and physical activity on ovarian cancer risk using life course epidemiologic methods.