Synopsis: This information provides a comprehensive list of substances identified as known human carcinogens, including chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde, environmental exposures such as asbestos and radon, and lifestyle factors like tobacco smoke and alcohol consumption. Understanding these carcinogens is crucial for individuals, especially seniors and those with disabilities, as they may have increased vulnerability to environmental hazards or occupational exposures. By being informed about these risks, individuals can take proactive measures to reduce exposure, such as avoiding tobacco products, ensuring proper ventilation to mitigate radon accumulation, and using appropriate protective equipment when necessary - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Recently Added Carcinogens
Four substances have been added to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 14th Report on Carcinogens, a science-based document that identifies chemical, biological, and physical agents that are considered cancer hazards for people living in the United States. The new report now includes 243 listings.
Ortho-toluidine, used to make rubber chemicals, pesticides, and dyes have been reevaluated and are now listed as a known human carcinogen.
Three substances have been added as reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens. These include:
1-bromopropane, used as a cleaning solvent and spray adhesive;
cumene used to make phenol and acetone, and also found in fuel products and tobacco smoke;
wood preservative mixture pentachlorophenol.
Main Content
"Identifying substances in our environment that can make people vulnerable to cancer will help in prevention efforts," said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP). "This report provides a valuable resource for health regulatory and research agencies, and it empowers the public with information people can use to reduce exposure to cancer-causing substances."
The Report on Carcinogens is a congressionally mandated report prepared for the HHS Secretary by NTP. The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, or exposures in two categories: known to be a human carcinogen and reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.
A listing in the report indicates a cancer hazard but does not mean that a substance will cause cancer. Many factors, including the amount and duration of exposure and an individual's susceptibility to a substance, can affect whether a person will develop cancer.
Estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives (combined) (Note: There is also convincing evidence in humans that these agents confer a protective effect against cancer in the endometrium and ovary)
Ethanol in alcoholic beverages
Ethylene oxide
Etoposide
Etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin
Fission products, including strontium-90
Formaldehyde
Haematite mining (underground)
Helicobacter pylori (infection with)
Hepatitis B virus (chronic infection with)
Hepatitis C virus (chronic infection with)
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) (infection with)
Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 (infection with) (Note: The HPV types that have been classified as carcinogenic to humans can differ by order of magnitude in risk for cervical cancer)
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1) (infection with)
Radionuclides, alpha-particle-emitting, internally deposited (Note: Specific radionuclides for which there is sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity to humans are also listed individually as Group 1 agents)
Radionuclides, beta-particle-emitting, internally deposited (Note: Specific radionuclides for which there is sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity to humans are also listed individually as Group 1 agents)
Since 1983, ortho-toluidine has been listed in the Report on Carcinogens as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. However, new cancer studies led NTP to reevaluate and reclassify ortho-toluidine. It is now added to the category of known human carcinogen, based on studies in humans showing it causes urinary bladder cancer. Ortho-toluidine is a synthetic chemical produced in other countries and imported into the United States by several companies in high volumes. It is primarily used to make rubber chemicals, pesticides, and dyes. It is also used in some consumer and medical products. People are mainly exposed through the workplace by skin contact and inhalation when using ortho-toluidine. People can also be exposed outside the workplace through sources such as tobacco smoke.
3 Substances Added to the New Report as Reasonably Anticipated to Be a Human Carcinogen
The chemical 1-bromopropane is a colorless pale yellow liquid used as a solvent in many commercial industries. It is used as a cleaner for optics, electronics, and metals and a solvent for aerosol-applied adhesives such as those used in foam cushion manufacturing. It is also used in dry cleaning and solvent sprays for aircraft maintenance. Workers in certain occupations may be more exposed to 1-bromopropane than the general population. No human studies were identified that evaluated the relationship between human cancer and exposure specifically to 1-bromopropane. However, inhalation exposure to 1-bromopropane in rodents caused tumors in several organs, including the skin, lungs, and large intestine.
Cumene is a flammable, volatile liquid with a gasoline-like odor. It is a natural component of coal tar and petroleum in tobacco smoke. It is used primarily to make acetone and phenol. People are mainly exposed to cumene through the environment and workplaces that use or produce cumene. It can be found in emissions from petroleum products. Inhalation exposure to cumene caused lung tumors in male and female mice and liver tumors in female mice. No human studies were identified that looked at the relationship between human cancer and exposure specifically to cumene.
Pentachlorophenol and by-products of its synthesis are complex mixtures of chemicals used as wood preservatives. Because virtually everyone exposed to pentachlorophenol is also exposed to its synthesis by-products, they were evaluated together. In the United States, pentachlorophenol has been regulated since the 1980s as a restricted-use pesticide. It is used industrially for treating utility poles, wood pilings, fence posts, and lumber or timber for construction. Most exposure has occurred in settings where workers treat or come in contact with treated lumber. People may also be exposed to this mixture from breathing contaminated air, dust, or contact with contaminated soil. Exposure to this mixture was associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in human studies. It also caused tumors in the liver and other organs in mice.
References
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1 - 100. 2011.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition. 2011.
Editorial Note: Awareness of known carcinogens is a vital component of public health. As research continues to uncover the links between various substances and cancer, it becomes increasingly important for regulatory bodies to update safety guidelines and for individuals to stay informed. This collective vigilance empowers society to make informed choices, potentially reducing the incidence of cancer and promoting overall well-being - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.
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Cite This Page: Disabled World. (2014, October 11 - Last revised: 2025, March 22). List of Known Carcinogens That Cause Cancer in Humans. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved June 16, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/health/cancer/carcinogen-list.php
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