New List of Cancer-Causing Agents

Posted: March 1, 2005

The Department of Health and Human Services released its updated Report on Carcinogens on Feb. 1, 2005, adding seventeen substances to the growing list of cancer-causing agents, bringing the total to 246.

The report lists cancer-causing agents in two categories — "known to be human carcinogens" and "reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens." The report now contains 58 "known" and 188 "reasonably anticipated" listings. Federal law requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to publish the report every two years.

"Among U.S. residents, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will develop cancer at some point in their lifetimes. Research shows that environmental factors trigger diseases like cancer, especially when someone has a family history," said Kenneth Olden, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, which prepared the report.

The following six substances have been added to the "known" category:

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are viruses that cause acute or chronic liver disease. They are listed in the report as "known human carcinogens" because studies in humans show that chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections cause liver cancer.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are viruses that are sexually transmitted and can infect genital and mucous membranes. Some of these genital mucosal type HPVs are listed in the report as "known human carcinogens" because studies show they cause cervical cancer in women.

X-radiation and gamma-radiation are listed in the report as "known human carcinogens" because human studies show that exposure to these kinds of radiation causes many types of cancer including leukemia and cancers of the thyroid, breast and lung. The risk of developing cancers due to these forms of ionizing radiation depends to some extent on age at the time of exposure. Childhood exposure is linked to an increased risk for leukemia and thyroid cancer. Exposure during reproductive years increases the risk for breast cancer, and exposure later in life increases risk for lung cancer.

Neutrons are also listed in the report as a "known human carcinogen." They cause genetic damage similar to that of X-radiation and gamma radiation, and thus can cause the same cancers. The general population is exposed to neutrons primarily from cosmic radiation that penetrates the earth's atmosphere.

The Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition, is prepared by the National Toxicology Program, an interagency group coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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