After cellphones, it's now the turn of bitumen — the black, oily material used in making roads — to be branded as "probably carcinogenic", or cancer causing to humans.
Earlier, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) — an arm of the World Health Organization (WHO) — had announced that talking on the cellphone could cause a malignant form of brain cancer.
IARC will meet in France's Lyon between October 11 and 18 to take a call on whether to classify "bitumen and bitumen fumes and some heterocyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons" as highly carcinogenic.
Speaking to TOI from Lyon, IARC's chief of the monograph programme Dr Kurt Straif said, "Bitumen was declared possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) way back in 1987. Though there were evidence about cellphones in humans, animal studies figure more in case of bitumen. The meet will review all new evidence since 1987, and see if its link with cancer can be concluded. If it's established, it will be categorized as 2A, or probably carcinogenic. This would entail global regulations against it."
IARC has asked experts from across the globe to submit all scientific studies conducted by them on bitumen by September 11.
"We will look at how it affects workers using bitumen and whether inhaling the smoke from it is dangerous," Dr Straif added.
IARC documents available with TOI, which were used in 1987, says "no epidemiological study of workers exposed only to bitumens is available. A cohort study of US roofers indicates an increased risk of cancer of the lung and suggests increased risk for cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, oesophagus, stomach, skin and bladder. In several animal studies, application to the skin of mice of various extracts of steam and air refined bitumens resulted in tumors at the sites of application.
IARC has also called on to the scientific community to be part of the working group that will look into all scientific literature and participate in an eight-day meeting to discuss and combine the texts and to evaluate the weight of evidence of carcinogenicity.
The IARC Monographs identify environmental factors that can increase the risk of human cancer. These include chemicals, complex mixtures, occupational exposures, physical agents, biological agents, and lifestyle factors. Since 1971, more than 900 agents have been evaluated, of which more than 400 have been identified as carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, or possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Earlier, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) — an arm of the World Health Organization (WHO) — had announced that talking on the cellphone could cause a malignant form of brain cancer.
IARC will meet in France's Lyon between October 11 and 18 to take a call on whether to classify "bitumen and bitumen fumes and some heterocyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons" as highly carcinogenic.
Speaking to TOI from Lyon, IARC's chief of the monograph programme Dr Kurt Straif said, "Bitumen was declared possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) way back in 1987. Though there were evidence about cellphones in humans, animal studies figure more in case of bitumen. The meet will review all new evidence since 1987, and see if its link with cancer can be concluded. If it's established, it will be categorized as 2A, or probably carcinogenic. This would entail global regulations against it."
IARC has asked experts from across the globe to submit all scientific studies conducted by them on bitumen by September 11.
"We will look at how it affects workers using bitumen and whether inhaling the smoke from it is dangerous," Dr Straif added.
IARC documents available with TOI, which were used in 1987, says "no epidemiological study of workers exposed only to bitumens is available. A cohort study of US roofers indicates an increased risk of cancer of the lung and suggests increased risk for cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, oesophagus, stomach, skin and bladder. In several animal studies, application to the skin of mice of various extracts of steam and air refined bitumens resulted in tumors at the sites of application.
IARC has also called on to the scientific community to be part of the working group that will look into all scientific literature and participate in an eight-day meeting to discuss and combine the texts and to evaluate the weight of evidence of carcinogenicity.
The IARC Monographs identify environmental factors that can increase the risk of human cancer. These include chemicals, complex mixtures, occupational exposures, physical agents, biological agents, and lifestyle factors. Since 1971, more than 900 agents have been evaluated, of which more than 400 have been identified as carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, or possibly carcinogenic to humans.
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