Occupational cancer: global burden, major carcinogens, diagnostic challenges, and prevention prospects

Occupational cancer remains one of the most important challenges in occupational health and public health. This review summarizes current evidence on the global burden of occupational malignancies, major workplace carcinogens, occupational respiratory cancer and international registration systems. Particular attention is paid to mining workers and the under-recognition of occupational cancer in Kazakhstan. The article discusses criteria for establishing occupational causality, latency periods, oxidetive stress, immune disturbances and molecular biomarkers. The need for a national occupational cancer registry and risk-based surveillance of workers exposed to occupational carcinogens is substantiated.

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