Carcinogens, including synthetic chemicals like dioxins and natural compounds like aflatoxin B1, can cause cancer by contributing to cell mutation. Radon gas is a common carcinogen, and exposure to it accounts for 6%-15% of all lung cancer cases worldwide. Carcinogens are found in many everyday products, but exposure can be minimized with effort.
The different types of potential carcinogens cover a wide range and include both organic and inorganic compounds, radiation exposure from natural or man-made materials, and living organisms. Any agent that can contribute to cell mutation has the potential to lead to cancer and can be classified as a carcinogen. This often includes many materials that may be harmless in small concentrations or harmless in the absence of other chemicals acting as triggers.
Among synthetic chemicals, dioxins have been called the most toxic chemical compound ever produced by man and are a by-product of bleaching in paper mills, the production of agricultural fertilizers and insecticides, and incineration. The smallest levels of dioxin detectable under a microscope have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Modern industrial processes in the United States produce 1,200 pounds (544 kilograms) of dioxin each year, where 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms) alone is enough to count as a lifetime dose for 500 million people. Estimates are that the average American, European or Canadian already has enough dioxin in their body at levels equal to those shown to have adverse health effects in laboratory animals. Dioxins also act as cancer enhancers, increasing the intensity of other carcinogens, and are known to contribute to dozens of cancers, from skin and liver cancers to Hodgkin’s disease.
The most potent natural carcinogen is thought to be aflatoxin B1, produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus which often grows on grains and tree nuts such as peanuts stored in warm, humid environments. Also found in rice, soybeans, corn and wheat, it is a potent liver carcinogen that causes heptocellular carcinoma, which will kill almost any patient who contracts it within a year. It causes cancer by attacking the p53 gene in humans, which functions as a tumor suppressor gene.
Radionuclides and radiation sources are also carcinogenic. One of the most common and widespread carcinogens in this category is radon gas, which is naturally emitted from uranium trace elements in the soil. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking, killing an estimated 15,000-22,000 people annually. The World Health Organization estimates that exposure to radon gas accounts for 6%-15% of all lung cancer cases worldwide.
Thousands of other potential carcinogens exist in nature and as a direct and indirect result of human industrial processes. Tobacco smoke is known to contain 43 carcinogens and the benzene vapors in gasoline can lead to immune system failures causing leukemia. Dozens of potent carcinogens exist as organic compounds in the average turkey dinner Americans eat for the Thanksgiving holiday. Carcinogens are also found in many cosmetics, as well as synthetic food preservatives, additives and dyes in the food supply. It is essentially impossible to avoid contact with all carcinogens, but, with thoughtful effort and planning, exposure can be greatly minimized.
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