Cancer is a very complex disease. It happens when DNA mutations occur that cause cells in your body to grow and divide out of control.
Carcinogens are substances that can cause DNA changes that may lead to cancer.
This article will take a closer look at carcinogens, how they can cause cancer, and the steps you can take to help protect yourself from known carcinogens.
A carcinogen is a substance or type of exposure that can cause cancer to develop.
You can encounter carcinogens in many different forms. This includes through:
- the environment
- specific lifestyle choices
- certain medical treatments
- some types of infections
- exposure at home or in the workplace
Scientists use laboratory studies in cells and animals to help determine if a specific substance is a carcinogen. They also use epidemiological studies, which evaluate trends and risk factors associated with cancer in a set group of people.
How are carcinogens classified?
Two organizations mainly determine which agents are considered carcinogens. These are the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the
The IARC, which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), has reviewed over 1,000 potential carcinogens. However, only 122 agents are currently classified as known carcinogens to humans. The rest are classified as:
- probably carcinogenic (93 agents)
- possibly carcinogenic (319 agents)
- not classifiable — unknown risk (501 agents)
The NTP is made up of parts of several government agencies in the United States, including:
- the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The NTP updates their
The discrepancy in the number of classified carcinogens isn’t because these agencies disagree on what’s a carcinogen and what’s not. It’s simply because both agencies
Cancer happens due to mutations (changes) in DNA. These mutations impact the way some cells grow and divide in your body.
Normally, cell growth and division is a tightly controlled and very precise process. But when this process becomes disrupted, it can cause cells to grow and divide in an uncontrolled and unpredictable way.
Cell mutations that may lead to cancer can:
- be inherited from your parents
- happen over time due to natural errors during DNA replication, a process that needs to take place each time a cell divides
- happen due to carcinogens that you encounter during your lifetime
Simply put, carcinogens cause damage to DNA. In most cases this damage is caught and repaired by specialized proteins in your cells. In severe situations, the affected cell may even die.
However, sometimes these safeguards don’t happen. When DNA damage in a cell isn’t repaired, it can lead to mutations that can contribute to the development of cancer.
However, just because something is labeled as a carcinogen doesn’t mean it will absolutely lead to cancer. The risk of being exposed to a certain carcinogen can be influenced by many factors, including:
- the specific carcinogen in question
- the frequency of exposure (how often)
- the intensity of exposure (how much)
- the length of exposure (how long)
- individual genetic factors
Some types of cancer appear to have “
There are many different types of carcinogens. Let’s look at some of the most common ones.
Lifestyle-related carcinogens are tied to circumstances or choices associated with your day-to-day life. Some of the most common lifestyle-related carcinogens that you may be familiar with include:
According to the
Some environmental carcinogens, such as UV radiation or radon, may occur naturally. Others, like secondhand smoke and air pollution, are human-made.
Examples of common environmental carcinogens include:
This includes cancers that are malignant (cancerous) as well as noninvasive carcinomas that can be surgically removed. Exposure to excess UV light is the main risk factor for all types of skin cancer.
Medical-related carcinogens include some types of infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria, as well as specific types of drugs and medical treatments.
Infectious agents that may increase the risk of cancer include:
Some examples of medical treatments that are known carcinogens include:
- certain immunosuppressant drugs, including azathioprine and cyclosporine
- some cancer treatments, such as:
- certain chemotherapy drugs like cyclophosphamide and melphalan
- tamoxifen, a drug that’s used to treat or prevent breast cancer
- hormone-based therapies, including estrogen-only and estrogen-progesterone hormone replacement therapy and estrogen-progesterone oral contraceptives
Occupational carcinogens are those that you may be exposed to on the job. Some occupations can put you at increased risk of prolonged exposure to high levels of carcinogens. These include jobs in:
- rubber or plastic manufacturing
Some examples of occupational carcinogens include:
- There were 319,000 deaths associated with occupational carcinogens in 2017.
- Occupational carcinogen exposure levels have decreased overall, but cancer burden has increased, likely due to past exposures.
- Most occupational carcinogens cause cancers of the respiratory tract.
- Asbestos and silica exposure have accounted for much of the occupation-associated cancers over the past 20 years.
There’s no surefire way to prevent cancer. However, there are ways to limit your exposure to carcinogens. To reduce your exposure to known carcinogens, you can take the following key steps:
- If you smoke, consider quitting smoking. This includes cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco products.
- Try to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke whenever possible.
- Consume alcohol
in moderation or not at all. - Limit your intake of processed meats.
- Apply sunscreen before spending time out in the sun.
- Refrain from using tanning beds.
- Try to stay inside when the air quality is bad and use air filters in your home to reduce air pollution.
- Test your home’s radon levels if they’ve never been tested or are unknown.
- Stay up-to-date on all recommended vaccinations, particularly those for hepatitis B and HPV.
- Take steps to prevent developing infections caused by viruses like HIV and HCV by using barrier methods during sex and not sharing injection drug equipment.
- Use appropriate personal protective equipment if you work in an occupation where you may be regularly exposed to carcinogens.
Some medical treatments are considered carcinogens. However, in many cases, the benefits of these treatments outweigh the potential risks. It’s always important to discuss the benefits and risks of any new medical treatment with your doctor.
Carcinogens are substances or exposures that can increase the risk of cancer development. These substances have the potential to cause damage to your DNA which, in turn, can impact the way some cells grow and divide in your body. When cells grow and divide out of control it can result in cancer development.
There are many types of carcinogens. Some are linked to your lifestyle or occupation. Others are present in the environment or are associated with infections or medical treatments.
There’s no way to prevent cancer completely. However, you can take steps to avoid exposure to known carcinogens, which may help reduce your risk of developing cancer.