Environmental cancer: on the causes of the main human cancers
Weisburger, J.H.
Texas Reports on Biology and Medicine 37: 1-20
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0040-4675 PMID: 380043 Document Number: 3214
A brief review is given of the causes of the main human cancers. We distinguish occupationally-incurred cancer, which arises in individuals exposed at work to varied carcinogenic chemicals and which yielded cancer at a site depending on the nautre of the carcinogen. In the context of the total incidence of cancer in the United States, occupational cancer assumes a minor quantitative role. Nonetheless, provided proper plant design and hygienic measures are developed, these cancers are totally preventable. Most of the remaining human cancers in the United States such as cancer of the respiratory tract, the digestive tract including stomach and large bowel, and in the endocrine-sensitive organs like breast, prostate, ovary, and endometrium are related to our lifestyle, namely smoking of cigarettes, and diet. The mechanism whereby lifestyle translates to certain of these diseases is presented, and recommendations for prevention are made. Considering the increasing cost of health care, it is noted that prevention is not only ethically best, but economically sound.
Document emailed within 1 workday
