Estimates of Occupational Cancer in Korea

Abstract

Estimates of Occupational Cancer in Korea: Soo-Hun CHO, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine—An accurate estimation of the contribution of occupational exposure to cancer is very difficult. In order to evaluate the magnitude of the problem of occupational cancer in Korea, the numbers of these cancers were estimated. A panel of physicians was asked to complete a questionnaire survey asking about potentially important occupational cancers. The numbers of occupation-related cancers in Korea were estimated, based on the numbers of employees exposed to selected occupational carcinogens, the relative risks of affected cancers among exposed employees, and the incidence of those cancers among the general population. More than 90% of physicians who participated in the survey indicated their belief that many occupational cancers have occurred previously without being detected. Preventive medicine specialists reported a greater contribution (5-30%) than clinical oncologists and cancer surgeons (1-10%) of occupational exposure to cancer. Participant physicians indicated that lung, bladder, hematopoietic and skin cancer will in the future be major occupational cancers in Korea. The reported chemicals and industries in which occupational cancer will be important included asbestos, petrochemicals, benzene, dyes, radiation, coke oven emissions, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, plating work, and chrome. The estimated annual total of occupational cancer cases in Korea was 5-28 after subtracting the number of cases in the general population from the number among employees exposed to occupational carcinogens. Although this study has several limitations, it was the first attempt to estimate the number of cases of occupational cancer in Korea. Future studies to accurately estimate the number of employees exposed to occupational carcinogens and to link the existing database on cancer occurrence (e.g. cancer registry, medical insurance data, etc.) with exposure data are needed.