Respiratory cancers attributable to occupational exposures: what is the cost to society in France?

Objective: To estimate the social cost of respiratory cancers attributable to occupational risk factors in France in 2010. Methods: We estimated the number of cases ofrespiratory cancers attributable to each identified occupational risk factor according to the attributable fractions method. We also estimated direct (costs of hospital stays, drugs, outpatient care) and indirect costs (production losses) related to morbidity (absenteeism and presenteeism) and mortality (years of lost production). Production losses for paid work and unpaid domestic activities were taken into account. Results: The social cost of respiratory cancers (lung, larynx, sinonasal, pleural mesothelioma) attributable to exposure to asbestos, chromium, diesel engine exhaust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, painting occupations (unidentified carcinogen), crystalline silica, wood and leather dust in France in 2010 was estimated to be between 960 and 1,866 million. The cost of lung cancer represents between 804 and 1,617 million. The three risk factors with the greatest impact are asbestos ((sic)530 to 890 million), diesel engine exhaust ((sic)227 to 394 million), and crystalline silica ( 116 to 268 million). Conclusion: These results provide a conservative estimate of the public health and economic burden of respiratory cancers attributable to occupational risk factors from a societal perspective.