IARC Monographs Volume 110: evaluation of five chemicals

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently assessed the carcinogenicity of five chemicals: perfluoro-octanoic acid, tetrafluoroethylene, dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and 1,3-propane sultone.

A Working Group composed of 20 international experts reviewed the available published scientific evidence and classified 1,2-dichloropropane as Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans). The experts concluded that there is now sufficient evidence that exposure to 1,2-dichloropropane causes cancer, based on studies investigating biliary tract cancers in exposed workers in the offset colour proof-printing section of a small printing company in Japan.
Tetrafluoroethylene, dichloromethane and 1,3-propane sultone were all upgraded from Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) to Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans). The experts also classified perfluoro-octanoic acid as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans).

A summary of the evaluations has now been published in The Lancet Oncology.Read article