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U.S.: Hormone Therapy Carcinogenic
Official list of cancer causers includes wood dust, UV light
December 12, 2002
By MSNBC/Reuters
www.msnbc.com
(original article at http://www.msnbc.com/news/846512.asp)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 — Estrogen replacement therapy has joined the official U.S. government list of cancer-causing agents, along with wood dust and ultraviolet light. The report, part of the National Toxicology Program’s biennial review of cancer-causing agents, represents a substantial upgrade of the dangers posed by estrogen.
SEVERAL ESTROGEN compounds were already listed as likely human carcinogens by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, but the report’s listing expands the category to include the entire class of steroidal estrogens.
The long-term safety of estrogen replacement therapy has been the subject of debate for several years. A study published in July showed that hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of several kinds of cancer, including breast cancer, although it seems to lower the risk of colon cancer. It also raises the risk of heart disease.
Scientists involved in the report cautioned that it is not known whether estrogen used in combination with other hormones, such as in oral contraceptives, retains its carcinogenic effect. They urged women to consult with their doctors if they have concerns.
The NTP, part of the National Institutes of Health, updates its list of known and suspected cancer-causing agents after lengthy study and scientific reviews by three expert panels of government and non-government scientists.
WOOD DUST ALSO ON LIST
In addition to estrogen, the report also lists wood dust as a “known human carcinogen.” It says unprotected workers in sawmills, furniture factories and similar places have a higher risk of cancers of the nasal cavities and sinuses.
And it lists broad-spectrum ultraviolet light, both naturally produced by the sun and the light made by tanning beds and lamps, as a known cause of cancer in people.
The various separate kinds of UV light, such as UVA, UVB and UVC, are listed as probable carcinogens because it is not clear whether each one on its own alone could cause cancer.
“This and 15 other new listings bring the total of substances in the report, ‘known’ or ‘reasonably anticipated’ to pose a cancer risk, to 228,” the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.
Also new to the list are nickel compounds and beryllium and its compounds commonly used in industry. Beryllium was previously listed as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
“About 800,000 workers are exposed via inhalation of beryllium dust or dermal (skin) contact with products containing beryllium,” the department statement said.
“Workers with the highest potential for exposure include beryllium miners, beryllium alloy makers and fabricators, ceramics workers, missile technicians, nuclear reactor workers, electric and electronic equipment workers, and jewelers.”
Joining the list of reasonable cancer suspects are IQ, or 2-amino-3-methylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoline, which is formed during direct cooking with high heat of foods such as meat and eggs, and which is also found in cigarette smoke.
The full report can be found on the Internet at http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov.
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