Current Economic Burden of Occupational Cancer

These estimates represent the total lifetime costs of newly diagnosed occupational cancer cases in Canada in the year 2011. The estimates include healthcare costs, productivity and output costs, and quality of life costs at a societal level. This study was led by the Institute for Work & Health.

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Occupational exposure	Number of cancer cases (2011)*	Total cost of new cases (2011)†
Asbestos	1900 lung 430 mesothelioma	$2.35 billion
Diesel engine exhaust	560 lung 200 bladder (suspected)	$684 million
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons	130 lung 50 skin 80 bladder (suspected)	$183 million
Radon	190 lung	$185 million
Second-hand smoke	130 lung	$129 million
Silica	570 lung	$562 million
Solar UV radiation	4560 skin	$34.2 million
Welding fumes	310 lung	$308 million

*Estimates from the Human Burden Study. Economic costs were not calculated for all cancer sites. Only sites included in the economic evaluation are listed.
†Economic estimates represent the total lifetime costs of newly diagnosed cancers in the year 2011, in Canadian dollars. Costs for subsequent years may vary based on the number of newly diagnosed cancers.