Carcinogen News and Research

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Home smoking restrictions needed to reduce tobacco-related carcinogens in children's urine

Ninety percent of children who lived in a house where an adult smoked had evidence of tobacco-related carcinogens in their urine, according to research presented at the Ninth AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here from Nov 7-10, 2010.

10 Nov 2010

Prolonged separation from mother increases risk of breast cancer in young mice

Young mice that experienced the psychosocial stress of prolonged separation from their mothers had a higher incidence and faster onset of breast tumors compared with young mice who did not experience this stressful life event. Specifically, neonatal mice separated from their mothers for a prolonged period of time developed mammary tumors twice as fast as mice that experienced short or no maternal separation.

8 Nov 2010

Widely used fragranced products give off toxic chemicals

The sweet smell of fresh laundry may contain a sour note. Widely used fragranced products - including those that claim to be "green" - give off many chemicals that are not listed on the label, including some that are classified as toxic.

27 Oct 2010

Indoor tanning beds can cause skin cancer

Back to school means new classes, clothes and schedules, including a heavy calendar of social events. Unfortunately, many young adults, particularly young women, head to indoor tanning salons in preparation for high school and college dances in the fall.

7 Oct 2010

OHSU CROET issues public alert on Brazilian Blowout hair straightening product

Oregon Health & Science University's Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) is responding to concerns raised by Portland-area hair salons about a product used for hair straightening. CROET has issued two public alerts describing its findings on the possible negative health impacts of this product.

4 Oct 2010

Formaldehyde in clothing leads to health risk: Report

The formaldehyde added to fabrics to keep clothing looking fresh and wrinkle-free is unlikely to pose a health risk to consumers, according to an article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine.

9 Sep 2010

Capsaicin linked to skin cancer

The September cover story of the nation's leading cancer journal, "Cancer Research," features a new study from The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, that links capsaicin, a component of chili peppers, to skin cancer. While the molecular mechanisms of the cancer-promoting effects of capsaicin are not clear and remain controversial, The Hormel Institute has shown a definite connection to formation of skin cancer through various laboratory studies.

3 Sep 2010

Diabetes drug metformin exhibits potential against tobacco-induced lung tumors

Metformin, a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, shows potential in the prevention of tobacco-induced lung tumors, according to early research conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

3 Sep 2010

N.Y. health officials increase tanning regulations; Colo. extends review of premium increases; Some small Mass. businesses dropping coverage

The Associated Press: "New York health officials are ramping up their regulation of more than 2,000 tanning salons and gyms offering indoor ultraviolet rays even as health advocates push for a law banning exposure by anyone under 18. … Last year, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified tanning as a definite human carcinogen, putting it in the same category as smoking.

20 Jul 2010

Federal agencies, state governments take action to educate, protect against serious risks of indoor tanning

As the scientific evidence mounts, more federal agencies and state governments are taking action to educate and protect Americans against the serious risks of indoor tanning. Recent and pending legislation in numerous states restricting access to indoor tanning, along with the federal 10 percent indoor tanning tax that goes into effect on July 1, are important steps in keeping Americans safe from overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the potential for future skin cancers.

30 Jun 2010

Impact of oil spill on humans and wildlife

University of Rhode Island Pharmacy Professor Bongsup Cho knows there are cancer-causing chemicals in diesel fumes and cigarette smoke.

25 Jun 2010

Study measures relationship between individual exposure to arsenic and mortality risk

More than 20 percent of deaths in a study of 12,000 Bangladeshis were attributable to arsenic exposure from contaminated drinking water, new research reports.

19 Jun 2010

University of Missouri researchers to investigate cadmium's potential for causing endometrial cancer

McDonald's announced a recall recently of 12 million "Shrek"-themed collectible glasses because traces of the toxic metal cadmium were found in them. Cadmium, a silver-white metal, is found in many substances, including certain foods and batteries, and experts believe that it might be a carcinogen. In a new study, University of Missouri researchers will investigate cadmium's potential for causing endometrial cancer.

10 Jun 2010

Researchers offer solutions for groundwater contamination crisis

Over 100 million people in rural southern Asia are exposed every day to unsafe levels of arsenic from the well-water they drink. It more than doubles their risks for cancer, causes cardiovascular disease, and inhibits the mental development of children, among other serious effects.

2 Jun 2010

National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention introduces Don't Fry Day to encourage sun safety awareness

As millions of Americans prepare to enjoy the great outdoors Memorial Day weekend, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention reminds everyone to practice sun-safe behaviors – pack those wide-brimmed hats in the suitcase. The incidence of melanoma (the most fatal of skin cancers) continues to rise significantly, at a rate faster than any of the seven most common cancers.

26 May 2010

Common myths about tanning and sun protection

Half the battle in knowing how to properly protect oneself from skin cancer is being able to separate fact from fiction. Unfortunately, some myths about tanning and sun protection are deep rooted and could mislead people into thinking that tanning is safe - when, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

24 May 2010

Androgen receptors promote hepatitis B virus in growth and development of hepatoma cells

Dr. Ming-Heng Wu of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan, in collaboration with Prof. Chawnshang Chang's laboratory of University of Rochester (UR), United States, have discovered that androgen receptors (AR) can promote hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocarcinogenesis through modulation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA transcription.

20 May 2010

Study examines impact of tobacco smoke carcinogen on mice

Although tobacco use is widely understood to be one of the leading causes of oral cancer, research on the prevention of tobacco-related oral cancer in experimental animals has traditionally been limited to examining the impact of synthetic carcinogens manufactured especially for cancer research, rather than on observing the effects of carcinogens that occur in tobacco smoke.

14 May 2010

UVA exposure at early age does not cause melanoma

Early life exposure to ultraviolet A light does not cause melanoma in a fish model that previously made that connection, scientists from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported today in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

5 May 2010

Dietary MSC can help reset cell's biological clock to prevent development of breast cancer: Study

Usually when all else fails with a technical device, a "reset" button can be pressed, preventing a glitch from going any further. What if that could be done with threats to a person's health? Investigators from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute which is jointly administered by UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, have discovered that a form of a dietary trace element known as selenium can help reset a cell's "biological clock" when it is disrupted by a chemical cancer-causing agent (carcinogen).

28 Apr 2010