Occupational cancer in central European countries

The countries of central Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slov akia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, suffer from environmental and occupat ional health problems created during the political system in place until th e late 1980s. This situation is reflected by data on workplace exposure to hazardous agents. Such data have been systematically collected in Slovakia and the Czech Republic since 1977. The data presented describe mainly the s ituation in the early 1990s. The number of workers exposed to risk factors at the workplace represent about 10% of the working population in Slovakia and 30% in Poland. In Slovakia in 1992 the percentage of persons exposed to chemical substances was 16.4%. to ionizing radiation 4.3%, and to carcinog ens 3.3% of ail workers exposed to risk factors. The total number of person s exposed to substances proven to be carcinogens in Poland was 1.3% of the employees; 2.2% were exposed to the suspected carcinogens. The incidence of all certified occupational diseases in the Slovak Republic was 53 per 100, 000 insured employees in 1992. Cancers certified as occupational cancers ar e skin cancer caused by occupational exposure to carcinogens, lung cancer c aused by ionizing radiation, and asbestosis together with lung cancer. Spec ific information on occupational cancers from Romania and Bulgaria was not available for this paper. It is difficult to predict a trend for future inc idences of occupational cancer. improved control technology, governmental r egulatory activity to reduce exposure, surveillance of diseases and risk fa ctors, and vigilant use of preventive measures should, however, ultimately reduce occupational cancer.