JAMA sub-journal: More than 60% of cancer deaths are attributable to occupational carcinogen exposure, especially asbestos and silicon dioxide

Occupational diseases are diseases caused by exposure to dust, radioactive substances and other toxic and harmful factors, which are attracting more and more attention on a global scale.
2016, about 348,741 cancer deaths were associated with occupational exposure, including eight types of cancer: laryngeal, nasopharyngeal, breast, lung, ovarian, mesothelioma and leukemia, according to the data.
It is estimated that more than 80 per cent of cancers are related to environmental factors, including external (chemical, physical and biological) and internal (genetic, immune and endocrine) factors, in which the high-risk occupational environment plays an important role in the occurrence and development of tumours.
study, published recently in jama Netw Open, found that 13 OCs in the study were linked to seven cancers, according to the 2017 Global Development Report.
consistent with previous studies, lung cancer is the most common type of cancer affected by OCs, while asbestos is the leading cause of death and DALYS.
is the most comprehensive study to date.
results show that occupational carcinogen (OCs) exposure is the cause of global cancer deaths and DALY, and that the relative cancer burden varies widely from region to region, depending on age, gender and social development.
asbestos and silica are the leading causes of death and DALY.
tracheal cancer, bronchal cancer and lung cancer are the main results of most carcinogens.
In this study, researchers used data from GBD 2017 to estimate exposure to OCs, analyzed health losses from 328 diseases in 195 countries and territories from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2017, reported global and regional estimates of 13 OCs, and analyzed the cancer burden of each OC (in disability-adjusted life years) (DALYs).
results show that among the 13 OCs, exposure to diesel engine exhaust and trenchloroethylene increased between 1990 and 2017, while asbestos exposure decreased by 13.8%.
2017, OCs-related cancer deaths totalled 319,000, or 61.0% of total cancer deaths, compared with 6.42 million for DALYs, or 48.3% of total DALYs.
of the 13 organic compounds, asbestos, silicon dioxide and diesel exhaust are the three main risk factors for the cancer burden.
comparing occupational carcinogens of all ages and genders in 195 countries and territories in 2017 - attributable to cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) between 1990 and 2017 the number of attributable cancer disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for men and women was 89.0% of all OCs, with the result of attributed cancer being tracheal, bronchid and lung cancer, accounting for 89.0% of cancer-related deaths.
2017, China (61,644 cancer deaths), the United States (42,848) and Japan (20,748) accounted for the largest share of attributed cancer deaths;
, occupational carcinogen exposure appears to have led to a serious global cancer burden.
13 OCs included in the 2017 GBD study, exposure to asbestos and silica has accounted for a large proportion of the cancer burden over the past 20 years.
the average level of exposure to carcinogens has decreased, the overall burden of OCs attributed to cancer has increased because it mainly reflects past exposure hazards.
study identified the cancer burden of OCs based on gender, age, location and social development.
the results could also provide guidance for OC's prevention and control programs for exposure to carcinogens.