Occupational exposure to carcinogens has been reported to be associated with a substantial disease burden at the global, regional, and national levels, and occupational diseases are attracting increasing attention worldwide.
1 According to a study based on the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016,
2 approximately 348 741 cancer-associated deaths in 2016 were due to occupational exposure to 14 carcinogens, including 8 cancer outcomes: larynx, nasopharynx, breast, lung, ovarian, mesothelioma, and leukemia. It has been estimated that more than 80% of cancers are associated with environmental factors, including external (chemical, physical, and biological) and internal (genetic, immune, and endocrine) sources.
3 Among these factors, a high-risk occupational environment plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of tumors. Well-known occupational-associated tumors include asbestos-induced lung cancer
4 and mesothelioma,
5 benzene-induced bladder cancer,
6 and petroleum pitch–induced skin cancer.
7 Lung cancer accounts for the largest proportion of occupational-associated cancers.
2