What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease that develops when cells in the body grow in an uncontrolled and abnormal way. Cells are the basic units of which all living things are made up and are continuously growing and dividing. When cells start to grow in an abnormal way, they create masses of tissue called tumours. These tumours can invade and destroy important parts of the body, including the lungs and the kidney, often leading to death.

What causes cancer?

Cells start to grow in an abnormal way if they have been damaged. Cells can be damaged in a number of ways. For example, cells can be damaged if they are exposed to certain substances, such as tobacco or asbestos. These dangerous chemical substances are known as carcinogens.

It usually takes more than one exposure to a carcinogen for a person to develop cancer. Often the cancer develops very slowly.

Can work cause cancer?

Between two and eight per cent of all cancer cases are believed to be related to exposure to a cancer-causing substance in the workplace. Workers are exposed to a wide variety of chemicals in the workplace. Hundreds of newly developed chemicals are introduced into workplaces each year. Many of these chemicals have not been adequately tested to determine if they cause cancer.