Is There a Way to Figure Out Cancer Risks in the Workplace?

Is There a Way to Figure Out Cancer Risks in the Workplace?

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QUESTION: There is a lot of discussion at our plant that concerns the amount
of risk we run of developing cancer from exposure to all the things found in
the workplace. Is there any way you can figure out your chances of developing
cancer at work?
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ANSWER: It's a tough call. There are many factors that go into determining
whether an individual has developed a cancer because of exposure to
carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals or substances) on the job. Some cancers
may not show up until 20 years or more after exposure and may be linked to
many different causative factors, such as smoking. Other types of cancers are
rare and are strongly linked to specific carcinogens.
Smoking, the leading cause of cancer in the United States, also appears
to amplify the risks of other carcinogens, especially those like asbestos that
cause lung cancer. A smoker exposed to asbestos runs a much greater risk of
lung cancer than someone who only smokes or who only was exposed to asbestos.
Different carcinogens also vary greatly in how great a risk they pose.
For example, asbestos is well known to be carcinogenic, but wood dust also
causes cancer in a small percentage of people who inhale it for many years. A
worker may be exposed to many different chemicals over the years, and, of
course, might smoke, which clouds the picture.
The first thing your physician would do if occupational induced cancer is
suspected is to take a most careful history, asking many questions about every
place you worked and every substance you worked with and around. Then he or
she must compare the type of cancer you have with any known carcinogens you
were exposed to, looking for a link.
Even after a complete examination and study, and with all the currently
available tests, it is often difficult to obtain a precise answer to your
question.