CONSUMER CHEMISTRY- 4TH QUARTER

CARCINOGEN

Learning Objectives_
At the end of the lesson, I am able to:
 Enumerate the risk factors that can contribute to cancer;
 Classify the type of carcinogens.

Lesson Proper

CARCINOGEN
A carcinogen is a substance or agent that can cause cancer or increase the risk of
developing cancer whenexposed to it. Carcinogens can be found in various environmental
factors such as chemicals, radiation, certain viruses and lifestyle choices like smoking or
excessive alcohol consumption and excessively eating processed meats.
RISK FACTORS
The most important risk factors are:
 Age: Although people of all ages can get cancer, older people are at greater risk.
 Genetics: The history of the family will put you at risk for cancer. You could be more
at risk for that form of cancer if you or anyone in the family had a similar type of
cancer. For certain cancers, such as breast cancer and colon cancer, genetics plays a
major part.
 Behaviors: Tobacco use and exposure to the sun or other sources of UV radiation are
risk factors for cancer. Other lifestyle choices that might affect the chances of getting
cancer include a poor diet, lack of exercise, or heavy drinking.
 Viruses or bacteria: There is a virus or bacteria that trigger certain cancers. The
human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, hepatitis B and C
viruses, which can cause liver cancer, and the EpsteinBarr virus, which can cause a
form of lymphoma, are several cancer associated viruses. Likewise, the Helicobacter
pylori can cause gastric cancer.
 Exposure to chemicals: As we have discussed, being exposed to chemicals may also
be a risk factor.
 Radiation of certain wavelengths, called ionizing radiation, has enough energy to
damage DNA and cause cancer. Ionizing radiation includes radon, x-rays, gamma
rays, and other forms of high-energy radiation. Lower-energy, non-ionizing forms of
radiation, such as visible light and the energy from cell phones, have not been found
to cause cancer in people. UV rays can also damage the DNA in our skin cells and
lead to skin cancer.

CLASSIFICATION OF CARCINOGEN
GROUP WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE?
Group 1 Sufficient evidence of 128 agents such as smoking,
Carcinogenic carcinogenicity exposure to solar radiation,
alcoholic beverages and
processed meats.
Group 2A Probably Limited evidence of Emission from high
carcinogenic carcinogenicity in temperature –
humans frying, steroids, exposures
and sufficient eviden working in
ce of carcinogenicity hairdressing and red meat.
in experimental
animals
Group 2B Possibly Limited evidence of 285 agents such as Coffee,
carcinogenic carcinogenicity in gasolines

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humans and less and gasoline engine

than sufficient exhaust, welding
evidence of fumes and pickled
carcinogenicity in vegetables
experimental
animals
Group 3 Evidence of 505 agents such as Tea,
Carcinogenicity carcinogenicity Static magnetic fields,
Not classifiable is inadequate in humans fluorescent lighting,
and inadequate or limited in polyethene
experimental animals
Group 4 Evidence suggest no Only one (1) chemical ever
Probably not carcinogenicity in placed in this group of all
carcinogenic experimental substances assessed
humans or animals : Caprolactam which is used
in the manufacture of
synthetic fibres.

STANDARD IARC DEGREES OF EVIDENCE OF CARCINOGENITY

 in humans
 in experimental animals
which are the basis for the Standard IARC Classification.
CARCINOGENICITY IN HUMANS
Sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity:
The Working Group considers that a causal relationship has been established between
exposure to the agent, mixture or exposure circumstance and human cancer. That is, a
positive relationship has been observed between the exposure and cancer in studies in
which chance, bias and confounding could be ruled out with reasonable confidence.
Limited evidence of carcinogenicity:
A positive association has been observed between exposure to the agent, mixture or
exposure circumstance and cancer for which a causal interpretation is considered by the
Working Group to be credible, but chance, bias or confounding could not be ruled out with
reasonable confidence.
Inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity:
The available studies are of insufficient quality, consistency or statistical power to permit a
conclusion regarding the presence or absence of a causal association between exposure and
cancer, or no data on cancer in humans are available.
Evidence suggesting lack of carcinogenicity:
There are several adequate studies covering the full range of levels of exposure that human
beings are known to encounter, which are mutually consistent in not showing a positive
association between exposure to the agent, mixture or exposure circumstance and any
studied cancer at any observed level of exposure. A conclusion of 'evidence suggesting lack
of carcinogenicity' is inevitably limited to the cancer sites, conditions and levels of exposure
and length of observation covered by the available studies. In addition, the possibility of a
very small risk at the levels of exposure studied can never be excluded.

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In some instances, the above categories may be used to classify the degree of evidence
related to carcinogenicity in specific organs or tissues.
CARCINOGENICITY IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS
Sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity:
The Working Group considers that a causal relationship has been established between the
agent or mixture and an increased incidence of malignant neoplasms or of an appropriate
combination of benign and malignant neoplasms in (a) two or more species of animals or
(b) in two or more independent studies in one species carried out at different times or in
different laboratories or under different protocols.
Exceptionally, a single study in one species might be considered to provide sufficient
evidence of carcinogenicity when malignant neoplasms occur to an unusual degree with
regard to incidence, site, type of tumour or age at onset.
Limited evidence of carcinogenicity:
The data suggest a carcinogenic effect but are limited for making a definitive evaluation
because, e.g. (a) the evidence of carcinogenicity is restricted to a single experiment; or (b)
there are unresolved questions regarding the adequacy of the design, conduct or
interpretation of the study; or (c) the agent or mixture increases the incidence only of
benign neoplasms or lesions of uncertain neoplastic potential, or of certain neoplasms
which may occur spontaneously in high incidences in certain strains.
Inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity:
The studies cannot be interpreted as showing either the presence or absence of a
carcinogenic effect because of major qualitative or quantitative limitations, or no data on
cancer in experimental animals are available.
Evidence suggesting lack of carcinogenicity:
Adequate studies involving at least two species are available which show that, within the
limits of the tests used, the agent or mixture is not carcinogenic. A conclusion of evidence
suggesting lack of carcinogenicity is inevitably limited to the species, tumour sites and
levels of exposure studied.
Additional Reference:
https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/en/electromagnetic-
fields/glossary/ghi/iarc-classification.htm#:~:text=English%20%5Ben%5D-,Standard
%20IARC%20classification,existing%20scientific%20evidence%20for%20carcinogenicity.