What are carcinogens?
Carcinogens are substances which are found in nature or created by humans than can start or help the growth of cancer cells.
Substances that can cause changes that can lead to cancer are called carcinogens. Some carcinogens do not act on DNA directly, but lead to cancer in other ways, such as causing cells to divide at a faster rate, which could increase the chances that DNA changes will occur.
Carcinogens can be classified as genotoxic or nongenotoxic:
- Genotoxic carcinogens – cause irreversible genetic damage or mutations to cells by binding to DNA
- Non-genotoxic carcinogens – do not directly affect DNA but act in other ways to promote cancer growth
The most common carcinogens (cancer-producing) substances are:
- chemicals
- cigarettes
- free radicals
- ultraviolet radiation
- viruses
Important carcinogens facts
- A carcinogen may cause cancer due to genomic instability or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes
- Carcinogens can be classified as genotoxic or nongenotoxic
- Carcinogens cause damage to DNA, or cause cells to divide quicker than they normally divide (thus causing cancer)
Why carcinogens are important
It is very important to understand what carcinogens are in order to avoid them as much as possible to avoid getting cancer and sustain good health (although avoiding all carcinogens is no guarantee to avoiding cancer).
