[Cancer and work conditions: improving scientific knowledge for new preventive strategies]

In this article, the issue of occupational cancer is discussed by studying the correlation between work conditions and health-related social disparity.Without aiming to furnish a review of the pertinent scientific literature in this field, some matters for discussion will be advanced to initiate scientific and political debate. Keeping in mind the major socio-health disparities still present in European countries, the objective is to address the issue of knowledge generation pertinent to occupational cancer in a complex scenario with numerous obstacles posed both by employers and by the issue of differing methodological approaches, which require cooperation between various disciplines such as epidemiology, toxicology, statistics, and sociology of health. Such cooperation cannot be effective unless both the political and the scientific aspects are addressed in the investigative process and the decisive role of mobilization of the workforce is acknowledged. Finally, the article discusses the particular condition of women, highly underestimated in the scientific literature concerning health issues in the workplace. We have observed that albeit current understanding in this field is insufficient, intervention strategies and prevention policies are inadequate even when measured against this knowledge base. In order for prevention to be effective, public policies on industry, territorial health, environmental protection, and the workplace must be integrated, figures able to act as prime movers in the change process need to be identified, and replacement of carcinogenic substances and production processes must be favoured.