Introduction: According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, night work is assessed as a possible factor in carcinogenesis. Research has confirmed a link between night work and breast cancer. Night shift work involving circadian disorder has been associated with increased breast cancer rates in only some epidemiological studies, but evidence has been lacking. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to present the risk of night shift work for breast cancer. We focused primarily on nurses and nursing staff. Methods: We used the empirical method of work. We searched the scientific literature in the CINAHL, MEDLINE and Cochrane databases and the DiKUL web search engine. We used literature and documentation sources in publications between 2012 and 2020. The literature search took place from March 2020 to May 2020. Results: Shift work gained central importance due to adverse health effects. A large proportion of the world’s population, including night shift workers, suffer from multiple health problems and illnesses, including cancer, psychiatric disorders, neurological deficits and metabolic disorders, due to frequent shift work. Discussion and conclusion: The results show that night work is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women, but only after relatively long-term exposure. It is clear from the literature that further studies are needed to define and understand the intensity of the link between shift work and cancer risk.
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