American Cancer Society Still Ignores Evidence on Avoidable Causes of Adult and Childhood Cancers | World-Wire

CHICAGO, IL, November 18, 2011 -/WORLD-WIRE/- The Cancer Prevention Coalition today advises that the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2011 report “Cancer Facts & Figures” ignores well-documented scientific evidence on the industrial and environmental causes of a wide range of cancers.

The ACS report lists 13 “Selected (Adult) Cancers,” and summarizes their known “risk factors,” or causes. Overwhelmingly, these are attributed to longevity, obesity, alcohol, smoking, and family history.

“However, and criminally,” observes Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, “the ACS makes no reference to the wide range of involuntary and avoidable exposures to industrial carcinogens in air, water, food, and the workplace.”

“The ACS also ignores well-documented scientific evidence on the known industrial and environmental causes of the very wide range of cancers,” says Dr. Epstein. “However, such evidence has been fully documented since 1972 in about 100 reports on individual and groups of carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.”

Dr. Epstein cites the 2008-2009 Annual Report of the President’s Cancer Panel, released in April 2010, includes a “Summary of Environmental and Occupational Links with Cancer.” This report documents “strong” evidence on cancer risks from exposures to 15 individual or groups of carcinogens, such as talc powder, ethylene oxide, and dioxane. The report also documents “suspected” evidence from exposure to the larger range of risks from exposure to about 40 other individual or groups of carcinogens.