Introduction
Work related cancer is caused from exposure to cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) at work.
Most work-related cancers do not appear until years after exposure to the carcinogen. Incidents of cancer may still be work-related even if the exposure happened many years ago.
It is estimated that up to 1 in 5 incidents of cancer are work related, but because they are not always recognized as being caused on the job and reported as such, the real number is not known. Anyone with an incident of cancer who currently works or previously worked in an environment that potentially put them at risk of exposures should speak to their doctor and workplace representatives about the possibility that it is work-related.