Occupational cancer

Occupational cancers are those that are due to exposure to chemical or physical carcinogens in the workplace. Clinically, cancer due to occupation is at present undistinguishable from cancer due to other causes. The occupational origin is essentially considered as proven when there is an unequivocally identified exposure causally associated with an increased occurrence of a cancer.

Adequately documented cases of occupational cancer represent only a fraction of 1% of cancer in Western countries although occasionally it can represent a very large percentage of cancer in a single manufacturing plant. For the latter reason, occupational cancer has frequently been detected through the clustering of otherwise frequently occurring cancers (mainly of the skin, lung or bladder) or through the occurrence of otherwise extremely rare cancers (angiosarcoma of the liver after exposure to vinylchloride monomer, to arsenic or to thorotrast) -- see list below. The real incidence of occupational cancer must inevitably be higher than the adequately documented cases. Initiation and interpretation of epidemiologic investigations may be difficult because frequently only small numbers of workers are involved, because of multiple exposures in the working environment, because of the movement of workers from one job to another or from one country to another, and, above all, because of the lack of detailed cancer registries in many industrialized countries.

List of 25 Occupations or Substance Exposures Linked to Cancer Types

1. Cigarette Smoking – Strongly associated with lung cancer, as well as cancers of the mouth, throat, and bladder.
2. Asbestos Exposure (e.g., construction workers, shipyard workers) – Linked to mesothelioma and lung cancer.
3. Benzene Exposure (e.g., workers in chemical plants, oil refineries) – Associated with leukemia.
4. Silica Dust Exposure (e.g., miners, sandblasters) – Linked to lung cancer.
5. Arsenic Exposure (e.g., agricultural workers, smelter workers) – Linked to skin, lung, and bladder cancers.
6. Vinyl Chloride Exposure (e.g., PVC manufacturing workers) – Associated with liver angiosarcoma.
7. Radon Exposure (e.g., miners) – Linked to lung cancer.
8. Formaldehyde Exposure (e.g., embalmers, laboratory workers) – Associated with nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia.
9. Diesel Exhaust Exposure (e.g., truck drivers, heavy equipment operators) – Linked to lung cancer.
10. Coal Tar/Pitch Exposure (e.g., roofers) – Associated with skin, lung, and bladder cancers.
11. Sun/Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure (e.g., outdoor workers, farmers, construction workers) – Linked to skin cancers such as melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
12. Wood Dust Exposure (e.g., carpenters, furniture workers) – Linked to nasal and nasopharyngeal cancers.
13. Hairdresser Exposure (through hair dyes and chemicals) – Associated with bladder cancer.
14. Rubber Industry Workers – Linked to bladder, leukemia, and stomach cancers.
15. Pesticide Exposure (e.g., farm workers, pesticide applicators) – Associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and prostate cancer.
16. Coke Oven Emissions (e.g., steelworkers) – Linked to lung cancer.
17. Nickel Refining (e.g., metal workers) – Associated with nasal and lung cancers.
18. Chimney Sweeps (historically, soot exposure) – Linked to scrotal cancer.
19. Leather Dust Exposure (e.g., shoe workers) – Linked to nasal cancer.
20. Textile/Dye Industry Workers – Associated with bladder cancer.
21. Painter Exposure (solvents, pigments) – Linked to lung and bladder cancers.
22. Welders/Metal Fume Exposure – Associated with lung cancer.
23. Plastics Manufacturing Workers (exposure to acrylonitrile, styrene) – Linked to various cancers, including bladder and lung.
24. Printing Industry Workers (exposure to inks, solvents) – Associated with bladder and lung cancers.
25. Healthcare Workers (exposure to antineoplastic drugs) – Linked to increased risk of leukemia and other cancers.