People can avoid prolonged sun exposure or tobacco smoke. But certain carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) present in the environment are difficult to prevent to enter our body. They can get in during breathing air, drinking water, eating foods, or using in occupations.
Different environmental carcinogens are responsible for specific kinds of cancer. For example, asbestos exposure leads to lung cancer, whereas certain dyes containing benzidine chemicals can cause bladder cancer. Similarly, tobacco smoking has a close association with a variety of cancers that develops in the lung, throat, voice box, mouth, lip, bladder, kidney, colon, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, liver, and cervix.
Following are the environmental substances that are tagged as carcinogens. However, in this context, it is necessary to mention that frequency, duration, and amount of exposure play a great role in cancer development. It means the environmental carcinogens do not necessarily impact the health of everyone.
- Aflatoxins are toxins released from certain fungi mainly present in crops like corn, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts. Humans get expose to aflatoxins by eating contaminated crops. Aflatoxins can cause liver cancer.
- Aristolochic acid is a phytochemical of certain plants. Although herbal products containing Aristolochic Acids is marketed as a dietary supplement as it is considered as traditional medicine for inflammatory conditions like arthritis, gout, etc., this phytochemical can cause urinary tract and bladder cancer in renal failure patients. Therefore, it is suggested that avoid taking herbal products containing Aristolochic Acids.
- Arsenic is naturally present in air, water, and soil and released into the environment through industrial processing and agricultural processing. Smoking tobacco also causes exposure to arsenic. Arsenic exposure can increase the risk of skin and bladder cancer. However, arsenic exposure has a link with liver, lung, kidney, and lymphatic cancers.
- Asbestos is a heat and corrosion resistant fibrous minerals. Heavy exposure to asbestos leads to mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs in the thin membrane present in the chest and abdominal lining. Apart from this, Asbestos exposure increases the risk of larynx, lung, and ovary cancer.
- Benzene is a chemical used as a solvent. Exposure to this chemical causes leukemia and other blood disorders.
- Benzidine is a chemical often used in dyes manufacturing to color cloth, leather, paper. It increases the risk of bladder cancer.
- Beryllium is a non-magnetic metal. Human exposes to this metal by burning the metallic substance which increases the risk of lung cancer.
- 1,3-Butadiene is used in synthetic rubber products. Occupational exposure to 1,3-Butadiene can increase the risk of leukemia.
- Cadmium is a metal and exposure to this metal increase the risk of lung cancer.
- Coal tar is a coal-derived product that increases the risk of skin cancer and may have an association with bladder cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, etc.
- Coke oven Emission exposure can increase the risk of skin cancer.
- Crystalline Silica is found in construction materials like soil, sand, and stone. Among different types of crystalline silica, quartz is a very common crystalline silica and often enters the human body through respiration and can cause lung cancer.
- Erionite is a type of mineral. People get in contact with this carcinogen during mining. It is used in commercial zeolite production. Exposure to this mineral increases the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma.
- Ethylene oxide is flammable colorless gas use in anti-freeze chemical production. Exposure to ethylene oxide due to occupational hazardous can cause leukemia and lymphoma. Ethylene oxide also increases the risk of stomach and breast cancers.
- Formaldehyde is a flammable, strong-smell containing chemical used in disinfectant, fungicide, and germicide. Research studies found an association of formaldehyde with rare cancer like a nasal cavity, paranasal sinus, and nasopharynx cancers.
- Hexavalent Chromium compounds are corrosion-free compounds used in industries like metal finishing, leather tanning, stainless steel production. Occupational exposure increases the risk of lung cancer, cancer in the nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses.
- Indoor Emissions release harmful gases which can cause lung cancer.
- Untreated mineral oils are the by-product of the petroleum distillation process using in mining, construction industries. Exposure to this oil can increase the risk of melanoma skin cancer.
- Nickel compounds are commonly used for industrial purposes. Exposure to these compounds can increase the risk of lung and nasal cancers.
- Radon is a radioactive gas. Decaying of uranium, radium, and thorium in rocks and soil releases radon. Exposure to this gas can cause lung cancer and blood cancers.
- Direct and indirect tobacco smoke inhalation can increase the risk of lung cancer. However, indirect inhalation can cause breast, nasal cavity, nasopharyngeal cancers.
- Incomplete burning of organic material releases shoots which may contain arsenic, chromium, and cadmium. Exposure to shoot increase the risk of skin cancer, lung cancer, bladder, and esophageal cancer.
- The strong inorganic acid mist containing sulfuric acid which produces during the different manufacturing processes. Exposure to this hazardous substance can increase the risk of laryngeal and lung cancers.
- Thorium is a natural radioactive substance present in soil, rock, and water. Exposure to this radioactive substance increases the risk of liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer.
- Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a colorless volatile substance often used in household cleaning products. Exposure to TCE can cause kidney cancer and increase the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and liver cancers.
- Vinyl chloride is a gaseous substance used in polyvinyl chloride manufacturing. Workers working in industries where PVC products are manufactured have an increased risk of developing liver cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, brain and lung cancer.
- Wood dust generated during the cutting and shaping of wood can cause paranasal sinus and nasal cavity infections.
References:
https://www.worldpharmanetwork.com/
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/cancer_and_the_environment_508.pdf
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