Availability of epidemiologic data on humans exposed to animal carcinogens. II. Chemical uses and production volume
We report further findings of a survey of manufacturers, processors, and importers of chemicals determined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to be animal carcinogens, but whose carcinogenicity in humans was considered uncertain because of inadequate epidemiologic data. We requested epidemiologic studies from the companies marketing or using any of the 75 IARC animal carcinogens in commerce in the United States. Eighteen of the 75 IARC animal carcinogens had volumes listed of 10(6) lb/year or greater, with 8 of the 13 chemicals for which studies had been completed or are in progress in this ''high volume'' category. The use category with the largest number of chemicals was drugs--19 of the 75 IARC animal carcinogens were in this category. However, none of the 13 chemicals included in epidemiologic studies was a drug. Seven of the 13 chemicals included in studies were used primarily as pesticides. We received little information on dyes and dye intermediates, experimental carcinogens, and drugs, all of which are produced in relatively low volumes; these categories represent 42 of the 75 IARC animal carcinogens. Low volumes and declining usage/production appear to be barriers to performance of epidemiologic studies. Information we received suggests that sometimes the problem of low production volume may be avoided by studying users rather than production workers. Overall, however, we expect few additional epidemiologic studies of the 75 IARC animal carcinogens.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Sciences Laboratory, Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York
- OSTI ID:
- 6578166
- Journal Information:
- Teratog., Carcinog., Mutagen.; (United States), Vol. 2:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cancer epidemiology update, following the 2011 IARC evaluation of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (Monograph 102)
Dangerous and cancer-causing properties of products and chemicals in the oil refining and petrochemical industry: Part I. Carcinogenicity of motor fuels: gasoline