The Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) hosted a workshop on the classification of carcinogens, held on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012, from 12:00pm – 5:00pm at the United Steelworkers Hall. This workshop aimed to educate and inform attendees on the carcinogen classification process used by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), highlighting how epidemiological, toxicological and animal studies are used in this process. The classification of shiftwork was used to exemplify the classification procedures employed by IARC. Additionally, the subsequent policy implications of an IARC classification were discussed.
Workshop materials
Copies of all workshop handouts are provided below. The Preamble to the IARC Monographs, the Lancet article on shiftwork, and the IARC evidence summary for shiftwork can also be found on the IARC website.
Biographies of workshop leaders
Preamble to the IARC Monographs
Lancet article on the carcinogenicity of shiftwork, painting, and firefighting
IARC evidence summary for shiftwork
Presentations
Exposure Data and Human Studies
Dr. Paul Demers, Occupational Cancer Research Centre
Experimental Animal and Mechanistic Studies
Dr. David Blask, Tulane University School of Medicine
Ontario Cancer Fact
The OCRC has prepared an Ontario Cancer Fact that summarizes the process by which IARC classifies carcinogens, and the meanings of the ratings. Click here to view the Cancer Fact.
Educational video on IARC and the classification of carcinogens
A seven part module that describes how the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies carcinogens, based on materials from this workshop.
Module 1: Introduction to IARC
Module 2: Shiftwork
Module 3: Studies of shiftwork and cancer in humans
Module 4: How IARC evaluates animal studies
Module 5: How light at night affects the body
Module 6: Studies of light at night and cancer in experimental animals
Module 7: The evaluation and its role in cancer prevention
