OCCUPATION

A number of chemicals encountered predominantly in occupational settin gs have been causally linked with cancer in humans; furthermore, sever al industrial processes and occupations have been associated convincin gly with increased rates of cancer, although the specific carcinogens remain to be identified. The tissues affected are mainly the epithelia l lining of the respiratory organs (nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, l arynx and lung), and urinary tract (renal parenchyma, renal pelvis and urinary bladder), the mesothelial linings, the bone marrow and the li ver. During the period 1970-84, almost 4 million people (3.7 million m en and 0.2 million women) in the Nordic countries were potentially exp osed to above-average levels of one or more verified industrial carcin ogens. It is expected that these exposures will result in a total of a bout 1,900 new cases of cancer every year in the Nordic countries arou nd the year 2000. with 1,890 among men and fewer than 25 among women. The proportions that could be avoided if industrial carcinogens were e liminated would be 70% of mesotheliomas, 20% of cancers of the nasal c avity and sinuses, 12% of lung cancers, 5% of laryngeal cancers, 2% of urinary bladder cancers, 1% of the leukaemias, and 1% of renal cancer s. Overall, it is estimated that verified industrial carcinogens will account for approximately 3% of all cancers in men and less than 0.1% of all cancers in women in the Nordic countries around the year 2000. No attempt was made to estimate the potential effects of suspected car cinogens In the workplace.