Summary

Cancer is the primary cause of death in Québec and in the majority of industrialized countries. Carcinogenesis is a complex process, and researchers estimate that from 2 to 8% of cancers are work-related, depending on the country and cancer considered. In order to be able to prioritize research needs, it is necessary to have a status report in terms of Québec workers’ level of exposure to carcinogenic substances and the number of occupational cancers.

This study will document the second aspect of the situation by estimating the number of cancers that could be work-related in Quebecers. Estimates will be produced for some twenty types of cancers using data published mainly by British and Finnish researchers.