[Genetic injuries caused by radiation and other harmful environmental pollutants]

Abstract

Cancer may be induced by chemicals, ionizing radiation and certain viruses. The first causal relationships between occupation and increase in cancer have been reported two and half centuries ago. In the meantime, many other occupational toxicants have been identified as cancer inducing agents. However, quantitative risk estimates can be established in a few cases only. On the other hand, modern epidemiological investigations have brought about the main causes of cancer in highly civilized populations as certain life-styles; approximately 35% are attributed to inadequate diet and nutrition, 30% to tobacco, 7% are hormone-related in context with human reproduction, 4% due to occupational exposures, 3% may be caused by alcohol consumption, 1,5% by UV radiation and 1% by medicines (cytostatics included). Cancer risks from radiation exposure are comparatively very low. Although radiation can be measured precisely and reliably as physical units, cancers induced by nuclear weapon fallout and precipitation from the accident of Chernobyl will never be detected by epidemiological methods due to their minimal proportions. The attribution of causes obtained in this way allows for the conclusion: human cancers are mostly due to chemically definable factors, and thus are avoidable.