Leather and Fur Workers Show ‘Significantly’ Higher Risk of Colon Cancer

For a long time, the prevailing wisdom in the medical community has been that colorectal cancer is caused by a combination of diet and genetic predisposition. Research now suggests that exposure to industrial chemicals can also increase risk. In a study of laborers in various occupations where exposure to chemicals is common, from plastic and rubber manufacturing to leather and fur production, researchers found that fur and leather workers faced significantly increased risk of colon cancer. The processes of fur and leather tanning involve exposure to a “wide variety of chemical compounds, considered to be carcinogenic (formaldehyde, para-phenylenediamine or others dyes and pigments) in tanning, cleaning and dyeing fur, as well as to fur dust.” In addition to the significantly increased risk related to fur and leather production, the study notes that other agricultural occupations should be monitored, especially those related to “exposure to specific agro-chemicals.”