Skin cancer and arsenical intoxication from well water.
A case of acute arsenical intoxication arising from ingested well water containing only 1.2 ppm of arsenic is reported. After a latent period of 14 years, multiple cutaneous basal cell carcinomas developed. The water was analyzed for a variety of other trace elements and compounds and no evidence for the existence of other carcinogens was found. This study strengthens the concept that arsenic is a carcinogen. The role of a possible selenium deficiency is also discussed.
D000328:Adult; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012643:Selenium / Q000172:deficiency; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000506:poisoning*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
D014873:Water Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012643:Selenium