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Eight new carcinogens identified

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Dr Veena Aggarwal, Consultant Womens’ Health, CMD and Editor-in-Chief, IJCP Group & Medtalks Trustee, Dr KK’s Heart Care Foundation of India    27 December 2021

Eight new substances have been identified as carcinogens in the latest 15th Report on Carcinogens (RoC) released by the US Department of Health and Human Services on December 21, 2021.1,2

Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori has been listed in the category of “known to be a human carcinogen”.

The remaining seven are listed in the category of reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. These include: 

  • Antimony trioxide
  • Six haloacetic acids

o   Bromochloroacetic acid

o   Bromodichloroacetic acid

o   Chlorodibromoacetic acid

o   Dibromoacetic acid

o   Dichloroacetic acid

o   Tribromoacetic acid

Antimony trioxide is used as a flame-retardant in plastics, textiles, and other consumer products. It is an occupational hazard for persons engaged in its production or use. Dust from the wear and tear of consumer products (like furniture, carpets etc.) that have been treated with flame-retardant may be a potential source of low level exposure.

Haloacetic acids are formed as byproducts during the process of water disinfection because of the reaction between the organic matter in the water and the chlorine-based disinfectant.

The Report on Carcinogens (RoC) identifies substances, which are carcinogenic and therefore may be hazardous to human health. There are 256 substances known, or reasonably anticipated, to cause cancer in humans. However, the Report “does not establish the exposure conditions that pose a cancer hazard to individuals in their daily lives" nor does it include estimates of risk of cancer. Many factors such as “the carcinogenic potency of the substance, the level and duration of exposure, and an individual’s susceptibility to the carcinogenic action of the substance” influence whether a person will develop cancer.

References 

  1. National Institutes of Health, December 23, 2021.
  2. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/23/2021-27910/announcement-of-availability-of-the-fifteenth-report-on-carcinogens

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