Carcinogens - An Overview

Carcinogens. We’ve all heard the word being thrown around at practically everything as of recently. While some of these claims at new carcinogenic substances are valid, they may not present the whole story.

First, it's not a guarantee that you'll develop cancer just because you came into contact with a carcinogen. Numerous factors affect how likely you are to contract cancer: in part on how much you've been exposed to a specific carcinogen as well as your genes.

To determine if something should be classified as a carcinogen, researchers employ a variety of techniques including having lab animals administered with high doses of a drug/substance to check if they develop cancer. Through this process and other methods, over 100 different carcinogens have been determined, which can seem quite concerning at face value. When looked at more closely, however, there are definitely some carcinogens that you’re more likely to contact on a day-to-day basis, being: tobacco, radon, asbestos, acrylamide, formaldehyde, UV Rays, engine exhaust, and pollution.

While some of these substances are also more familiar and recognizable, others are lesser known but can still have just as much of an effect as a carcinogen. Despite helping to strengthen items like roof shingles, ceiling tiles, and automobile parts, asbestos contains strong, small fibers that, if breathed in, can become lodged within your lungs.Some plants, like potatoes, can release a substance called acrylamide when roasted at high temperatures. Researchers believe that since rats who drank water containing acrylamide developed cancer, people might as well. By frying, roasting, baking, and toasting food until it turns tan rather than golden or dark brown, you can reduce the amount you consume. Formaldehyde is an ingredient in a wide range of household goods, from plywood to various fabrics. Studies have shown that formaldehyde can cause cancer in lab rats and people who work in an environment with formaldehyde.

Ultraviolet Rays are probably the carcinogen that people come into contact with the most on a daily basis, most commonly through sunlight and tanning beds. UV Rays make people more prone to skin damage, premature aging, as well as multiple skin cancers. Of course, this can be prevented by using a good SPF sunscreen (SPF > 15) on all exposed parts of the skin when coming into contact with sunlight. But as of recently, some have questioned whether sunscreen can actually cause more harm than good after finding high concentrations of benzene, another carcinogen, in some sunscreens.

While medical research has not found any proof that sunscreen causes cancer, numerous studies have shown what UV radiation from the sun and tanning beds do. However, some people are concerned that the sunscreen ingredients may be absorbed through the skin and lead to cancer. According to toxicologists, even if you applied sunscreen with a substantial amount of benzene to your entire body, you would still only be exposed to less than half the benzene that you would normally breathe in a day of regular city air. It is uncertain how much benzene would be absorbed via the skin because it is also quite unstable.

“For those who are worried, we recommend using a sunblock,” Sapna Patel, assistant M.D. for Melanoma Oncology says. Sunblock typically contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. It cannot be absorbed by the skin and sits on the skin's surface.

Other claims regarding sunscreen chemicals have been making the rounds online, but they are not supported by reliable research. There is no evidence to substantiate claims, for instance, that sunscreen containing the Vitamin A compound retinyl palmitate might lead to skin cancer. Skin damage from previous years of sun exposure is the most likely cause of skin cancer in people who use those sunscreens or any sunscreens. Ultimately, taking precautions now could help prevent skin cancer in the future.