OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES - EXPOSED!

Did Your Job Cause Your Cancer? Have you ever been asked what type of work you were doing when you received your cancer diagnosis? Most people would say no to this question.  We know that oftentimes exposure to toxins on the job is one of the major causes of cancers.  As we prepare our next newsletter, we would like your input. Tell us what job you had in your lifetime that may have been a contributing factor.   (email us at: support@mbcga.org )

2ND GENERATION CANCER FROM A TOXIC JOB

"Since I was 18, I followed in my father’s footsteps—married young, raised a family, and worked hard to provide. Like him, I took a job in road construction, surviving off a single paycheck. I got used to the smell of burning asphalt, even when drivers rolled up their windows complaining of headaches.  Also like my father, I kept my health issues to myself. He believed that a job was a gift—and complaining could cost you everything. So I stayed silent through skin cancer, breast cancer, and eventually prostate cancer.

My dad passed away in his 50s. By then, I had access to the internet, and what I learned opened my eyes. The toxins we were exposed to on the job were no secret. It wasn’t bad luck. It was our environment. Our silence. Our sacrifice. It took losing him—and getting sick myself—to realize I had become a statistic. The very job that helped me feed my family was slowly killing me. 

Today, I drive a metro bus through downtown Chicago. I still provide, but with a deeper awareness. My father taught me how to work hard. Cancer taught me to speak up."

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DETECTION OF JOB RELATED CANCERS & CHRONIC DISEASES

When it comes to toxic exposures, health hazards exist in lesser or greater quantity - especially in the more dangerous jobs (ie. firefighting, construction, engine work etc). For the many Americans who dedicated an extended period of their careers to potentially toxic exposures, this comprehensive clinical testing program offers direct insight into their genetic predispositions for potentially adverse responses to occupational exposures.  The selected testing also identifies predisposition to common cancers, chronic diseases, and other health issues.  

MBCSCAN is a comprehensive screening and diagnostic program designed to provide insight into  adverse responses to occupational exposures, common cancers, chronic diseases, and other health issues. This genetic blueprint provides the foundation of a personalized approach to minimizing exposure risks and optimizing health. Additional assessments with epigenetics and functional labs can provide real-time data into how this genetic blueprint is interacting with past and current lifestyle choices and occupational exposures to impact biological function and enable fine-tuning of personalized strategies.  

This advanced occupational testing program signifies a transformative shift toward precision occupational medicine—integrating genetic, epigenetic, and toxin exposure insights to offer personalized risk management. The ability to stratify risk based on a person’s unique genetic blueprint and cumulative exposure burden empowers both workers and employers to make informed decisions about job assignments, protective measures, detoxification support, and early intervention protocols.

"Toxins are unavoidable, but for people who are exposed to very high amounts day in and day out to the most powerful toxins, they are beyond dangerous.  These toxins are the tipping point for chronic disease, including cancer.  I applaud the cause to better protect those at highest risk."  - Dr. Angela Mazza (FL) 

"This message strikes a vital balance between advocacy and clinical awareness—one that is deeply needed in conversations around occupational exposures and cancer risk.  Recognizing job-related poisons will resonate with many and spark important reflection... perhaps encouraging readers to not only share their job history but also any known exposures or symptoms they may have dismissed at the time could further deepen the dialogue and enhance data collection for future outreach and research." - Dr. Leslie Valle-Montoya (CA)

"You are raising important awareness about the serious health risks linked to occupational exposure to toxic substances—risks that have affected many men over the years and are associated with chronic illnesses, including cancer. By highlighting the MBCScan, a comprehensive screening and diagnostic program that helps identify these exposures and assess potential health risks, you are providing workers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their well-being. You deserve praise for such excellent work." - Roberta Morris (NY)

For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.MBCScan.com or call 516.522.0777

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Beyond the Paycheck: Confronting Cancer Risks in the American Workforce

Written by: Lennard M. Goetze, Ed.D / Daria Petaludis, PhD

Source: 2025 Workers' Chemical Exposure Risk Analysis - F.A.C.E.S. USA

For decades, job-based health hazards have remained an underrecognized threat to millions of workers—long after the shift whistle blows. In high-risk occupations like construction, firefighting, manufacturing, and oil refining, exposure to carcinogens, toxic fumes, radiation, and hazardous materials is part of the daily routine. The result? A disproportionate rate of chronic illnesses, including multiple forms of cancer.

While industries once focused primarily on lawsuit prevention and liability shielding, there's a growing—albeit slow—movement toward risk reduction and long-term health protection. For example, in firefighting, mounting evidence linking occupational exposure to increased cancer risk has driven departments to adopt advanced decontamination protocols, issue protective gear rated for chemical defense, and conduct regular health screenings. Similarly, the construction sector is seeing greater enforcement of OSHA silica standards and asbestos abatement programs.

Still, far too many industries lag behind. Agricultural workers, mechanics, miners, and chemical plant employees continue to face daily exposure to substances like benzene, diesel exhaust, formaldehyde, and PFAS with insufficient protective oversight. Many workers only discover the long-term effects—such as lung, bladder, or prostate cancer—after years on the job, often when it's too late for early intervention.

Prevention, not litigation, must be the standard. Stronger legislation, stricter enforcement, and routine screening programs can redefine workplace safety and reduce the devastating health aftermath facing today’s workforce.

“Occupational exposure to industrial toxins can quietly disrupt hormonal pathways, often going undetected for years. I rely on advanced endocrine testing to identify patterns of dysfunction—such as thyroid abnormalities or hormone-sensitive tumors—that are frequently linked to chemical exposure in high-risk work environments.” — Dr. Angela Mazza, Endocrinologist

When Lawsuits Made History: Exposing Job-Based Hazards Through Class Action

While prevention is the future, it was litigation that often cracked open the past. Some of the most notorious occupational health hazards only came to public light through large-scale class action lawsuits that exposed corporate negligence and institutional disregard for worker safety.

One of the most high-profile examples is the asbestos litigation crisis, beginning in the 1970s. Thousands of shipyard workers, construction laborers, and insulation installers filed lawsuits against manufacturers like Johns-Manville, claiming the companies knowingly exposed them to asbestos—a carcinogen linked to mesothelioma and lung cancer—without proper warning or protection. This led to one of the longest and most expensive mass torts in U.S. history, resulting in billions in settlements and widespread regulatory reform.

Another landmark case emerged from the W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, where workers and residents were exposed to asbestos-laced dust for decades. The EPA eventually designated Libby a Superfund site, and numerous lawsuits revealed the extent to which corporate and governmental oversight had failed.

More recently, firefighters and first responders involved in the 9/11 World Trade Center cleanup filed suits due to exposure to a toxic cocktail of debris and carcinogens. The 2011 Zadroga Act offered compensation and medical coverage, highlighting how advocacy, data, and legal action can converge to deliver justice. These lawsuits have shaped workplace health policy—but they often come only after irreversible harm. Their legacy underscores why proactive prevention must now take the lead.

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AFTERTHOUGHT
By: Dr. Robert Bard, Cancer Imaging Specialist

"In the realm of occupational health, waiting until symptoms appear is no longer acceptable—especially in high-risk professions. Lawsuit prevention begins with prevention itself. Over the years, I’ve seen too many workers diagnosed late with conditions that could have been flagged early through basic imaging or lab testing. As industries face mounting legal and financial pressure from exposure-related illness claims, the smartest path forward is proactive intervention.

Implementing on-site diagnostic screening and mid-job health evaluations is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessary layer of protection for both the worker and the employer. Programs like 'Get Checked Now!'  and Fight Recurrence brings point-of-care technologies like field ultrasound and other non-invasive tools directly to the worksite, offering real-time insight into cardiovascular strain, organ dysfunction, early tumor detection, and toxic burden markers. These are not just medical tools; they’re shields against tragedy and litigation.

By making health surveillance a normalized, recurring part of hazardous work environments, companies can reduce liability, build trust with their workforce, and most importantly—save lives. Medicine today gives us the ability to act before a silent disease becomes a courtroom battle. Let’s use it.”

— Dr. Robert L. Bard, MD, DABR, FASLMS
Founder, Bard Cancer Diagnostics | Diagnostic Imaging Specialist

References:

(1) Daniels, R.D. et al. (2014). Mortality and cancer incidence in a pooled cohort of US firefighters from San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia (1950–2009). Occupational and Environmental Medicine. (2) OSHA. (2023). Occupational Cancer – U.S. Department of Labor. (3) IARC. (2012). Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. World Health Organization. (4) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). (2022). Cancer among workers in high-risk industries. (5) American Cancer Society. (2024). Workplace Exposure and Cancer Risk. (6) Castleman, B. I. (1996). Asbestos: Medical and legal aspects (4th ed.). Aspen Law & Business. (7) United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2023). Libby Asbestos Site. https://www.epa.gov/superfund/libby (8) Provides documentation and updates on the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine and environmental/legal actions taken. (9) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). World Trade Center Health Program: About the Program. https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/about.html

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MORE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE STORIES

"For me the question you asked is simple. I was in the Air Force during the Vietnam war as an Air Freight Specialist. Most of my job was loading and unloading cargo from planes touching just about everything that came in and out of Vietnam, which included toxic chemicals such as agent orange.  When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts my oncologist was puzzled and wondered why since I had a complete genetics testing done that found no reason for me to have cancer. When the PACT act was introduced by President Biden I submitted documentation and the government agreed that more than likely the cancer I had was due to exposure from agent orange and gave me disability compensation." - Ray

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"I was BRCA 1 & 2 negative. I was also negative for all of the mutations tested later.  I just drew the short straw.  I worked at the telephone company at many different central offices.  Some of the central offices had asbestos remediation going on.  I didn't spend more than a few hours each for maintenance of telephone lines and circuits, but who knows if it was environmental exposure or not.  I was never able to identify a clear environmental link. I did live near a cancer cluster that blamed the water supply. I was told that many years before the company discharged chemicals, the river would be any number of different colors on any given day... " - Bob 

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"I have always felt that my job as a helicopter mechanic while I was in the military may have been a contributing factor. I was certainly exposed to quite a few chemicals back in the day. Hope the info helps."  - Phillip

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"We are 99.999% certain my cancer was caused by my work on Nuclear submarines. I am quite sure I can pinpoint when and where. An officer demanded |I do an emergency entry into the reactor chamber for an exercise. Exposure to radiation for exercise purposes is against international law. I was not only exposed to high energy Beta gamma radiation but probably slow neutrons too... yeah that will cause cancer.! A full genetic study came up clean. No genetic cause found nor is there any history of any cancers in either side of my family. Way back in the 1990's there was a newspaper report that in America there was a 46% increase of cancer in nuclear submariners. That was across the board, all trades. I worked with radiation daily on  when on patrol." -- Alan