carcinogen is a topic covered in the Taber's Medical Dictionary.
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(kars′ĭn-ŏ-jen″ )
(kar-sin′ŏ-jĕn)
[carcino- + -gen]
Any substance or agent that produces cancer or increases the risk of developing cancer in humans or animals. SEE TABLE: Carcinogens
carcinogenic (kar″sĭ-nō-jen′ik ), adj.
Carcinogens
| Carcinogen | Type of Agent | Organs or Tissues Commonly Damaged | Comments |
| Alcohol consumption | Consumer toxin | Upper aerodigestive tracts, esp. mouth and pharynx and larynx | Effect is most pronounced in people who smoke |
| Arsenic | Chemical | Blood, bone marrow, digestive tract, skin, urinary bladder, other organ systems | May contaminate water supply |
| Asbestos | Mineral | Respiratory tract, pleura and peritoneum | Associated with lung cancers and mesotheliomas. Effect is most pronounced in people who have smoked |
| Cigarette smoke | Consumer toxin | Aerodigestive tracts, other organs | Also a major cause of cardiovascular disease |
| Formaldehyde | Chemical | Nasopharynx, blood and bone marrow | Used as an embalming agent |
| Hepatitis B | Virus | Liver | Exposure to blood or body fluids |
| Hepatitis C | Virus | Liver | Exposure to blood or body fluids |
| Human Papillomavirus | Virus | Epithelial cells of the oropharynx and genitalia | Interpersonal contact, e.g., sexually transmitted |
| Mustard Gas | Chemical | Blistering agent | First used in WWI |
| Smokeless tobacco | Consumer toxin | Oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract | Retained in the buccal mucosa. Also known as “spit tobacco” |
| Sunshine (solar radiation/ ultraviolet radiation) | Physical | Skin, mucous membranes | Cause of basal cell, squamous cell carcinomas, melanoma. Outdoor exposures or indoor (tanning booths) |
| Vinyl chloride | Chemical | Liver, possibly brain | Used in the chemical industry to make plastic/ polymers |
| X-rays and other forms of ionizing radiation | Physical | Many organs, depending on those that are penetrated | Used in diagnostic applications in health care; exposure to radioactive elements |
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Citation
TY - ELEC
T1 - carcinogen
ID - 737823
PB - Taber's Medical Dictionary
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/737823/all/carcinogen
ER -