Cancer risk from inorganics

Abstract

Inorganic metals and minerals for which there is evidence of carcinogenicity are identified. The risk of cancer from contact with them in the work place, the general environment, and under conditions of clinical (medical) exposure is discussed. The evidence indicates that minerals and metals most often influence cancer development through their action as cocarcinogens. The relationship between the physical form of mineral fibers, smoking and carcinogenic risk is emphasized. Metals are categorized as established (As, Be, Cr, Ni), suspected (Cd, Pb) and possible carcinogens (Table 6), based on the existing in vitro, animal experimental and human epidemiological data. Cancer risk and possible modes of action of elements in each class are discussed. Views on mechanisms that may be responsible for the carcinogenicity of metals are updated and analysed. Some specific examples of cancer risks associated with the clinical use of potentially carcinogenic metals and from radioactive pharmaceuticals used in therapy and diagnosis are presented. Questions are raised as to the effectiveness of conventional dosimetry in accurately measuring risk from radiopharmaceuticals.

Reduction of wear in total hip replacement prostheses by amorphous diamond coatings

“…12 However, particles of CoCr alloys (commonly used on articulating surfaces) seem to cause more periprosthetic tissue necrosis in comparison with same-size wear particles of polyethylene, 13 and the components of these alloys (Co, Cr, and Ni) are recognized as potential carcinogens. 14 In the present study, the amount of wear debris was reduced at least by a factor of 10,000 -1,000,000 (Figure 2) compared to clinical values for the conventional prostheses mentioned above.…”

Risk assessment of nickel carcinogenicity and occupational lung cancer.

“…The findings included altered substrate conformation at the substrate-binding site of DNA polymerase, altered enzyme conformation at the catalytic site of DNA polymerase, and changed template-base specificity (73). As the ability ofvarious metals to induce infidelity of DNA replication and their carcinogenic activities (75) closely correspond, the tests for impaired fidelity ofDNA replication may be used to screen the carcinogenicity ofvarious nickel compounds (38,75 (76,77), whereas other experiments revealed that nickel inhibited the repair of DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light, X-ray, and other agents (38,78 (17,82,83). As chemicals from smoking and occupational exposure contribute to as much as 40% oftotal cancers in human beings (84), to study the effects ofoccupational carcinogens on oncogenes is important for understanding the carcinogenic mechanisms and for monitoring occupational cancers further.…”

Comparative Evaluation of Trace Metal Distribution and Correlation in Human Malignant and Benign Breast Tissues

“…Any change in the environment as well as in the human body itself can trigger changes in trace metal composition of any organ or tissue, and as a consequence, potentially toxic chemical species may be accumulated, due to which some disease can be produced [4]. Various diseases of previously unknown etiology have been attributed to an imbalance of trace metals [5][6][7]. It may be assumed that trace metals influence the mechanisms that are responsible for the development of cancer because of their fundamental importance in a number of biochemical and physiological processes in humans [6,[8][9].…”