Some Jobs May Increase Cancer Risk - Tips to Protect Yourself

Some jobs increase workers’ cancer risk because they involve greater exposure to radiation or chemicals.

Across workplaces worldwide, the quantities and types of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) vary. Research suggests approximately 4% of all cancers result from occupational exposure. Countries taking precautions have seen work-related cancers decline over time.

Which Jobs Increase Risk?

Certain jobs carry higher risks. For example:

• Agriculture, forestry and fishing - excessive sunlight or agricultural chemical exposure may increase risk.
• Construction and painting - asbestos, excessive sunlight, silicon, diesel exhaust, coal products, paints, thinners such as turpentine, or sawdust may increase risk.
• Manufacturing and mining - fossil fuel exposure (mineral oils, coal products, benzene and diesel exhaust), asbestos, silicon, solvents or excessive sunlight may increase risk.
• Service industries - excessive sunlight, secondhand smoke or diesel exhaust may increase risk. Regular chemical exposure, as in these examples, can increase cancer risk. Initial precautions include:
• Chemicals must legally carry hazard warnings,
• Use must be controlled,
• Occupational safety arrangements must be made.

What Is Asbestos, and How Does It Cause Cancer?

Asbestos is a natural material formerly used to insulate buildings. Preferred for fire resistance, its tiny fibers can, when inhaled, cause mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining), lung, laryngeal and ovarian cancers.

Three asbestos types exist: amosite (brown), crocidolite (blue) and chrysotile (white). All are harmful, but brown and blue are worse because their fibers are shorter/sharper and harder for the body to break down.

Although the World Health Organization banned all asbestos worldwide from the 1980s onward, people who previously worked with it or live in asbestos-containing buildings remain at risk.

Tips to Protect Yourself Against Cancer at Work and Where You Live:

Outdoor workers can reduce harmful UV effects in summer by:

• Trying to work in shade, particularly around midday.
• Using protective clothing: a hat covering face and neck, lightweight long sleeves and sunglasses.
• For paint, dust, sawdust and agricultural pesticide exposure, use masks and protective clothing and wash hands frequently.
• Use factor 30 sunscreen and reapply regularly.

The Puzzle of Shift Work and Cancer

In 2007, the International Agency for Research into Cancer (IARC) announced that night shifts might increase cancer risk, particularly breast cancer risk. Later, in 2016, research involving 1.4 million people, another study concluded that shift work did not significantly affect risk. However, a meta-analysis published in January 2018 assessing 61 studies found that night shifts might significantly increase breast, skin and uterine cancer risks, particularly breast cancer in shift-working nurses. Many explanations are possible, including disruption of circadian rhythm, melatonin and sleep.

After Successive Studies Without a Clear Conclusion, Our Advice to Shift-Working Women Remains the Same as for All Women:

• Reducing alcohol, staying active and maintaining a healthy weight help reduce breast cancer risk.
• Learning symptoms of breast and other cancers and undergoing cancer screening for early diagnosis are very important.