title: Assessing the risks of cancer.
abstract: Recent claims that there is a growing epidemic of cancer caused by chemical and physical agents in the environment are shown to be weakly based. After smoking and diagnostic changes have been taken into account, trends in cancer mortality rates are not suggestive of any marked increases due to occupational factors. Estimates indicating that past occupational exposure to asbestos will cause large increases in cancer rates are shown to be markedly in error. Evidence that nutritional factors are likely to be much more important than occupational factors is summarized.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000139:chemically induced; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D001194:Asbestos