Objective: To perform a quantitative estimate of the proportion of cancers attributable to occupational exposures in France in 2000.
Methods: Exposure data for established carcinogens were obtained from a 1994 survey and other sources. Relative risks for 23 exposure-cancer combinations were derived from meta-analyses and pooled analyses.
Results: A total of 4335 cases of cancer among men (2.7% of all cancers) and 403 cases among women (0.3% of all cancers) were attributed to occupational exposures. Asbestos, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and chromium VI were the main occupational carcinogens in men, and asbestos and involuntary smoking were the main carcinogens in women. Corresponding proportions for cancer deaths were 4.0% and 0.6% in men and women, respectively. Lung cancer represented 75% of deaths attributable to occupational exposures.
Conclusion: Our estimates are comparable with those obtained for other countries in studies based on similar methodology.