title: Preventable exposures associated with human cancers.
abstract: Information on the causes of cancer at specific sites is important to cancer control planners, cancer researchers, cancer patients, and the general public. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monograph series, which has classified human carcinogens for more than 40 years, recently completed a review to provide up-to-date information on the cancer sites associated with more than 100 carcinogenic agents. Based on IARC's review, we listed the cancer sites associated with each agent and then rearranged this information to list the known and suspected causes of cancer at each site. We also summarized the rationale for classifications that were based on mechanistic data. This information, based on the forthcoming IARC Monographs Volume 100, offers insights into the current state-of-the-science of carcinogen identification. Use of mechanistic data to identify carcinogens is increasing, and epidemiological research is identifying additional carcinogens and cancer sites or confirming carcinogenic potential under conditions of lower exposure. Nevertheless, some common human cancers still have few (or no) identified causal agents.
authors.affiliation: Section of IARC Monographs, International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France. imo@iarc.fr
authors.forename: Vincent James
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Cogliano
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baan
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Straif
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Grosse
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lauby-Secretan
authors.forename: Fatiha
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: El Ghissassi
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bouvard
authors.forename: Lamia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benbrahim-Tallaa
authors.forename: Neela
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guha
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galichet
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Wild
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies; D008461:Meat Products / Q000009:adverse effects; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental