Occupational cancer studies and statutory agencies routinely make unfounded assumptions about these cancers inevitably having latency periods of many years. In fact, for many occupational cancers, latency periods between exposure and onset of disease can be much shorter. These include cancers related to chromium, arsenic, aromatic amine, benzene, asbestos, nickel and wood dust exposures. This German paper of the few comprehensive guides to the latency periods and exposure times applying to a range of occupational carcinogens and the cancers they produce. When compared with several recognized cancers elsewhere in Europe and North America, the German criteria provide compensation with shorter latency periods and lower exposure years.

W Popp, T Bruening, and K Strait. 2007. Berufliche Krebserkrankungen-Situation in Deutschland. In Handbuch der Arbeitsmedizin. Edited by Johannes Konietzko and Heinrich Dupuis, IV-7 .9.1: 1-IV -7 .9.1 :13. Landsberg, Germany: Ecomed Medizln.