What Causes Cancer?
The Impact of Risk Factors
Work Place Carcinogens
Because people spend so much time at work, potential carcinogens in the work environment are studied carefully. Some occupational carcinogens have been identified because coworkers exposed to the same substances have developed a particular kind of cancer at increased frequency.
For example, lung cancer rates (specifically mesothelioma) in construction workers who handle asbestos have been found to be 10 times higher than normal.
Certain occupations carry an increased cancer risk: these include painters; furniture makers; workers in the iron, steel, coal, and rubber industries; and workers involved in shoe manufacturing and repair.
Always use proper protective equipment when handling chemicals, and clean spills immediately.
At your workplace ask about Material Safety Data Sheets, which contain information about hazardous substances.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health can answer many of your questions.
Metals:
Some metals, including:
- arsenic
- beryllium
- cadmium
- chromium
- lead
- nickel
have been associated with several types of cancer.
These include, lung, kidney, brain, skin, and liver cancers.
We encourage you to learn more about environmental carcinogens from organizations such as the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the Collaborative for Health and the Environment.
Tobacco
According to the American Cancer Society, tobacco smoke damages nearly every organ in the human body.
It is also linked to many cancers, and accounts for at least 30 percent of all cancer deaths.
Tobacco costs billions of dollars each year. Estimates indicate one in five Americans still smokes.
People who use smokeless tobacco (snuff or chewing tobacco) are at increased risk of cancer of the mouth.
- Quit the habit.
- Stay away from second hand smoke!