Carcinogen News and Research

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Study identifies toxic flame retardants in many home couches across the U.S.

Scientists are reporting an increasing use of flame retardants in the main gathering spot for adults, children and family pets in the home - the couch. In a study published in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology, they describe the first efforts to detect and identify the flame retardants applied to the foam inside couches found in millions of family rooms and living rooms across the U.S.

29 Nov 2012

New insight on ability of certain PAH-derived lesions to evade DNA repair machinery

A person doesn't have to go far to find a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). These carcinogen precursors are inhaled through automobiles exhaust during the morning commute, are present in a drag of cigarette smoke, and are part of any barbequed meal.

4 Nov 2012

Researchers find environmental contaminants in day care centers

A new, comprehensive survey of day care centers by University of California, Berkeley, researchers found that, overall, the environmental quality in child care settings was similar to other indoor environments, but that levels of formaldehyde and several other contaminants exceeded state health guidelines.

29 Oct 2012

Maternal dietary acrylamide has negative effect on fetal growth

Pregnant women who consume a diet that is high in acrylamide, found in cooked starchy foods such as toast, chips, and crisps, are more likely to give birth to a small for gestational age baby than women who do not.

24 Oct 2012

Review describes link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer

An excellent review article from two scientists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the USA to be published in Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2012, describes the epidemiologic and basic scientific evidence linking alcohol consumption to the risk of breast cancer.

24 Oct 2012

Further evidence against sun bed use

Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the BMJ confirm those from previous studies linking sun bed use with an increased risk for skin cancer.

12 Oct 2012

Study identifies potential ways to minimize acrylamide levels in french fries

The process for preparing frozen, par-fried potato strips - distributed to some food outlets for making french fries - can influence the formation of acrylamide in the fries that people eat, a new study has found. Published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study identifies potential ways of reducing levels of acrylamide, which the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer regard as a "probable human carcinogen."

27 Sep 2012

Natural killer cells may influence lung cancer susceptibility

Why do many heavy smokers evade lung cancer while others who have never lit up die of the disease? The question has vexed scientists for decades.

24 Sep 2012

Scientists report discovery of strong oral cavity carcinogen in smokeless tobacco

Scientists today reported identification of the first substance in smokeless tobacco that is a strong oral carcinogen ― a health risk for the 9 million users of chewing tobacco, snuff and related products in the U.S. ― and called upon the federal government to regulate or ban the substance.

23 Aug 2012

Pan-fried red meat associated with increased risk of advanced prostate cancer

Research from the University of Southern California (USC) and Cancer Prevention Institute of California (CPIC) found that cooking red meats at high temperatures, especially pan-fried red meats, may increase the risk of advanced prostate cancer by as much as 40 percent.

17 Aug 2012

Empa physicist analyzes structure and composition of soot particles

Since June 2012, it is official: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified diesel soot as a lung carcinogen. Artur Braun, a physicist at Empa and an X-ray spectroscopy expert, has made crucial contributions to analyzing the structure and composition of soot particles.

6 Aug 2012

Antioxidants and pancreatic cancer risk: an interview with Dr Andrew Hart

The antioxidants that we mainly looked at were selenium, vitamin C and vitamin E. They are chemicals which inactivate pro-oxidants or free radicals. Smoking and normal metabolism can lead to the production of free radicals.

30 Jul 2012

Coca-Cola sold in California now contains little of cancer-causing chemical 4-methylimidizole

Carcinogenicity and regulation of caramel colorings by Michael Jacobson, (Executive Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest, USA), an article due to be published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, states that Coca-Cola sold in California now contains little of the cancer-causing chemical 4-methylimidizole (4-MI).

27 Jul 2012

Arsenic exposure impairs semen quality

Environmental exposure to arsenic significantly reduces semen quality in Chinese men, research shows.

18 Jul 2012

Indoor tanning beds banned for minors

Rhode Island took a great step today to protect youth from the dangers of skin cancer by prohibiting the use of indoor tanning beds by minors under the age of 18 without parental consent. This important action is based on significant scientific evidence that indoor tanning is undeniably linked to increased risk of developing melanoma and other forms of skin cancer.

27 Jun 2012

Spinach consumption can partially offset damaging effects of carcinogen

Researchers at Oregon State University for the first time have traced the actions of a known carcinogen in cooked meat to its complex biological effects on microRNA and cancer stem cells.

21 Jun 2012

Viewpoints: For Fla. small business owner, loss of health law would be 'real blow;' Effort to silence Mich. legislators backfires

Running a small business with four employees, I've got a lot hanging in the balance as the Supreme Court deliberates on the healthcare law. The legal challenge to the law was launched here in Florida with a small business lobby group as a plaintiff in the case. But if you're thinking that means small business people like me want to see the law rolled back, think again. The simple fact is, the healthcare law is saving our business serious money and saving our healthcare benefits.

20 Jun 2012

WHO agency classifies diesel exhaust as 'carcinogenic'

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the WHO's cancer arm, on Tuesday announced it has reclassified diesel engine exhaust from "probably carcinogenic" to "carcinogenic," the U.N. News Centre reports, noting the decision came "after a week-long meeting of international experts, and the agency based its decision on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer."

14 Jun 2012

Serum PFOA levels increase cardiovascular risk factors

Serum levels of perfluorooctanoic acid, which is found in Teflon and Gore-Tex, appear to be associated with cardiovascular disease risk, even at levels commonly found in the general population, Korean investigators have discovered.

13 Jun 2012