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Specific industrial carcinogens increase one's risk of cancer. Match the carcinogen with the cancer it's thought to have an association with.
| 1. Shipbuilding, demolition, insulation--Asbestos | a. Leukemia |
| 2. Varnish, glue--Benzene | b. Lung |
| 3. Rubber manufacturing/dye workers | c. Liver |
| 4. Vinyl Chloride | d. Bladder |
answers below
The answers are
1. b
2. a
3. d
4. c
Asbestos- Asbestos exposure accounts for 4-6
thousand lung cancers per year. There are two major classes of
asbestos: 1. the amphiboles and 2. the serpentines. Chrysotile, (serpentine
class) the most common form of asbestos used in the U.S., is less
likely to be associated with pleural mesotheliomas than other
forms and is not associated with perotineal mesotheliomas.
How does asbestos cause cancer? It is thought the body reacts to
foreign asbestos by a fibrous reaction which then increases the
risk for malignant transformation. Studies have indicated that
the length of the fibers may be more important than the fiber
type involved. Long term exposure appears to increase one's risk,
but the risk of short term exposure has not been fully elucidated.
Benzene- found in varnishes and glue, is thought
to increase the risk of leukemias. The mechanism is somewhat
complex. Benzene is absorbed into the body and converted in the
liver to phenolic metabolites. These metabolites are then
absorbed into the bone marrow and damage cellular DNA. This
damage can then increase one's risk of malignant transformation.
for more detailed chemistry click here
Aniline Dye- Aniline dyes have been associated with an increase in risk of bladder cancer. The average time between exposure and development of cancer is 16-22 years. As you can see the structure is very similar to benzene and causes cancer by disrupting normal cellular DNA.
Vinyl Chloride- Vinyl chloride is used in plastic resins in plastic containers, credit cards, records, etc. Long term exposure to vinyl chloride has been associated with primarily liver angiosarcoma, brain, and lymphatic cancers.
Cancer Causing Agents
| AGENT | TYPE OF EXPOSURE | SITE OF CANCER |
| alcoholic beverages | drinking | mouth, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, liver |
| alkylating agents | medications | leukemia |
| anabolic steroids | medications | liver |
| aromatic amines(aniline etc.) | manufacturing of dyes | bladder |
| inorganic arsenic | mining, smelting of certain ores, pesticides | lung, skin, and liver |
| asbestos | manufacturing and use | lung, pleura, peritoneum |
| benzene | leather, petroleum | leukemia |
| ether | manufacturing | small cell lung carcinoma |
| chromium | manufacturing | lung |
| isopropyl alcohol production | manufacturing | nasal sinuses |
| mustard gas | manufacturing | lung, larynx, nasal sinuses |
| nickel dust | refining | lung, nasal sinuses |
| parasites | infections | bladder(squamous cell), liver (cholangiocarcinoma) |
| pesticides | application | non hodgkins lymphoma |
| polycyclic hydrocarbons | coal, mineral oils | lung, skin(squamous cell) |
| tobacco smoke | smoking | lung, larynx, mouth, pharynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, kidney |
| ultraviolet light | sunlight | skin |
| Ebstein Barr Virus Hepatitis C virus HIV Human Papilloma virus Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 |
infection | Burkitt's Lymphoma Hepatocellular carcinoma Kaposi's sarcoma, Hodgkins cervix, anogenital T-Cell leukemia,lymphoma |
| vinyl chloride | manufacturing | liver(angiosarcoma) |
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