The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced earlier this week processed meats were carcinogenic, expanding the ever-increasing list of what can cause cancer.
Now, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an organisation that collects and studies data on the disease, has released an exhaustive list of the 116 items, activities and chemicals that can contribute to cancer.
Although red meat is not on the list – it is only “probable” that the meat causes cancer – other activities to steer clear of include cabinet making (excessive exposure to wood dust has been linked to nasal cancer) and Chinese-style salted fish.
According to the IARC “Contraceptives, oral, sequential forms of hormonal contraception” can also contribute to contracting the disease.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. An estimated 8.2 million people died of cancer-related diseases in 2012 with the number of deaths expected to rise by around 70 per cent over the next two years, according to data from WHO released earlier this year.
Smoking remains the number one cause of cancer, contributing to roughly 20 per cent of global cancer deaths and around 70 per cent of global lung cancer deaths.
Here is the full list:
