Chemical Carcinogens - Cancer causing agents, we use in everyday life

Carcinogens are agents which initiates or promotes cancer formation.
3 types carcinogens exist: Chemical; radiation and infectious carcinogens.
Initiator carcinogens cause mutation or damage of DNA.
After initiation follows promotion. Which means proliferation of mutated cells.

Carcinogens can directly cause irreversible damage of DNA, or mutations by binding to DNA.
Such carcinogens called Genotoxins. For example: chemical agent, N-nitroso-N-methylurea; ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation are genotoxins.
Nongenotoxins do not directly affect DNA but act in other ways to promote growth. These include hormones and some organic compounds.
We may have contact with carcinogens in every day life:
1. Nitrosamines – Causes Gastric cancer. Some foods contain nitrosamines.
Cured meats like: Salami. Pepperoni. Bacon.
beer; some cheeses; nonfat dry milk; and sometimes fish.
2. Cigarette smoke Causes multiple malignancies including: cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, cervix, colon, and rectum, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.
3. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, causes bronchogenic carcinoma,
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons produced when coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco are burned. In addition: they occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline.
4. Asbestos (bronchogenic carcinoma, mesothelioma) - Asbestos containing materials have most often been used in construction and insulation; however, some consumer products like sheets, plastic tools and cookware like pans and pots, and talcum powder may also contain the toxic fibrous material.
5. Chromium and nickel Causes bronchogenic carcinoma - Nickel-chromium alloy is usually used as coating in cars. Chromium is used to protect metal surfaces from acids and corrosion.
6. Arsenic Causes: squamous cell carcinomas of skin and lung, angiosarcoma of liver.
Arsenic is a well-known poison. Arsenic is used as a doping agent in semiconductors (gallium arsenide) for solid-state devices. A small amount of arsenic is used in alloys.
7. Vinyl chloride - angiosarcoma of liver – it is used to produce pipes for plumbing.
8. aromatic amines and azo dyes, Causes hepatocellular carcinoma, it is used for production of rubber and in cutting oils.
9. Alkylating agents; causes leukemia, lymphoma, other cancers. Most common use of alkylating agents is as chemotherapy drugs.
10. benzene - leukemia;
Benzene is one of the most used component in the world industry.
Benzene is used in paint materials. For example wall paint; for food preservative.to make plastic, resin and nylon. In explosive materials (TNT);
Good smell deodorizer on soaps.
11. Naphthylamine Causes bladder cancer. is now used only in laboratory research.