Health
Cancer causes: These 10 hidden carcinogens can raise the risk, according to an oncology expert
Many of cancer’s effects are visible — but the causes aren’t always so obvious.
There are hundreds of different types of cancer, and far more causes.
“Cancer-causing agents, known as carcinogens, can be of various types and forms, working toward triggering mutations in the human body that lead to the development of cancer,” said Dr. John Oertle, chief medical director at Envita Medical Centers in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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While some causes, such as tobacco use and UV radiation, are widely known for their harmful effects, there are many other hidden carcinogens in the environment that are equally harmful, the doctor told Fox News Digital.
“These hidden carcinogens are ubiquitous but often avoidable if people are aware of their inherent dangers,” Oertle said.
There are hundreds of different types of cancer, and far more causes. Dr. John Oertle, chief medical director at Envita Medical Centers in Scottsdale, Arizona, shared a list of 10 carcinogens. (iStock)
“Environmental carcinogens often involve synthetic derivatives of industrial byproducts in addition to solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, radioisotopes and even carcinogenic microbes.”
The doctor shared a list of some of these hidden carcinogens, their sources and the types of cancer they cause.
“Even though we talk about potential carcinogens all the time, the ones mentioned in this list are the major players.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, described Oertle’s list as “important.”
“Even though we talk about potential carcinogens all the time, the ones mentioned in this list are the major players,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Though we are very familiar with the carcinogenic risks of tobacco, and UV light to the skin, others, like radon, are too frequently underestimated.”
10 environmental carcinogens
1. Tobacco
This carcinogen comes from cigarettes, leading to about 20% of all cancers and approximately 30% of cancer-related deaths in the country, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
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Tobacco can cause cancer of the mouth, nose, throat, larynx, trachea, esophagus, lungs, stomach, pancreas, liver, kidneys, ureters, bladder, colon, rectum and cervix, as well as leukemia, noted Oertle.
2. Organochlorines
Organochlorines are pesticides that have been used in agriculture around the world since they were introduced in the 1940s, despite having high toxicity.
While they’ve been largely banned in the U.S. due to health hazards, they are still used in other countries, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Tobacco leads to about 20% of all cancers and some 30% of cancer-related deaths in the country, according to the American Cancer Society. (iStock)
Organochlorines can potentially lead to breast, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate, lung, oral/nasopharyngeal, thyroid, adrenal and gallbladder cancer, as well as lymphoma, according to Oertle.
3. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals found in coal, crude oil and gasoline, according to the CDC.
They are emitted into the environment with the burning of coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage and tobacco.
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PAHs can come from cigarette smoke, vehicular exhaust, roofing tar, occupational settings and pharmaceuticals, Oertle said.
Breast, skin, lung, bladder and gastrointestinal cancers can stem from exposure to these chemicals.
4. Volatile organic compounds
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals emitted through the creation of paints, pharmaceuticals and refrigerants, among other products, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
They are also found in industrial solvents, petroleum fuels and dry cleaning agents.
VOCs are commonly found in the air, groundwater, cigarette smoke, automobile emissions and gasoline, the cancer doctor warned. (iStock)
VOCs are commonly found in the air, groundwater, cigarette smoke, automobile emissions and gasoline, Oertle warned.
The compounds can cause lung, nasopharyngeal, lymphohematopoietic and sinonasal cancers, as well as leukemia.
5. UV radiation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization (WHO) both classify ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and tanning beds as a human carcinogen.
UV rays can cause a variety of skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
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Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., affecting one in five Americans in their lifetimes and resulting in 9,500 diagnoses each day.
6. Radon
A radioactive gas, radon is a byproduct of uranium, thorium or radium breaking down in rocks, soil and groundwater, according to the EPA.
Organochlorines are pesticides that have been used in agriculture around the world since they were introduced in the 1940s, despite having high toxicity. (iStock)
When radon seeps into buildings and homes, people can breathe it in — increasing their risk of leukemia, lymphoma, skin cancer, thyroid cancer, various sarcomas, lung cancer and breast cancer, Oertle said.
7. Asbestos
A mineral fiber in rock and soil, asbestos has historically been used in construction materials.
Although some uses have been banned, it can still be found in insulation, roofing and siding shingles, vinyl floor tiles, heat-resistant fabrics and some other materials, per the EPA.
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Oertle warned that asbestos exposure can increase the risk of lung, mesothelioma, gastrointestinal, colorectal, throat, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder cancers.
8. Cadmium
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines cadmium as “a soft, malleable, bluish white metal found in zinc ores, and to a much lesser extent, in the cadmium mineral greenockite.”
When radon seeps into buildings and homes, people can breathe it in, increasing their risk of leukemia, lymphoma, skin cancer, thyroid cancer, various sarcomas, lung cancer and breast cancer. (iStock)
Cadmium can be found in paints, batteries and plastics, Oertle said.
The metal can be a factor in lung, prostate, pancreatic and renal cancers.
9. Chromium
There are two types of this trace mineral, as noted on WebMD’s website.
One is trivalent chromium, which is not harmful to humans. The other type, hexavalent chromium, is considered toxic.
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Sources of the harmful chromium include chrome plating, welding, leather tanning and ferrochrome metals.
Inhalation of chromium, a known human carcinogen, has been shown to cause lung cancer in steel workers, per the CDC.
10. Nickel
A heavy metal that is a known carcinogen, nickel is found in electroplating, circuitry, electroforming and batteries, noted Oertle.
Nickel has been linked to an increased risk of lung and nasal cancers, per the National Cancer Institute.
Overall, more than 1.9 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2023, and around 609,820 cancer-related deaths were reported, according to the ACS.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and owner of Senolytix, a longevity-based health consultancy, pointed out that in addition to being aware of the various carcinogens and limiting exposure to them, it’s also important to take steps to prevent inflammation. (Dr. Brett Osborn)
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and owner of Senolytix, a longevity-based health consultancy, pointed out that in addition to being aware of the various carcinogens and limiting exposure to them, it’s also important to take measures to quell inflammation.
“Cancer, aside from those associated with a specific gene mutation, is an environmental disease.”
“Nearly all age-related diseases, of which cancer is one, are underpinned by low levels of inflammation,” Osborn told Fox News Digital.
To reduce inflammation, the doctor recommends eating a low glycemic index diet rich in olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids from fish or flax, strength training regularly, getting adequate sleep and using a probiotic supplement.
“Show your body the right signals, and it will respond in kind – you’ll have your health,” Osborn said. “Expose it to the wrong signals and you’ll turn on the ‘oncogenes’ that cause cancer.”
The doctor added, “Cancer, aside from those associated with a specific gene mutation (typically pediatric cancer), is an ‘environmental’ disease, period.”
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Those at risk of type 2 diabetes may be able to prevent heart problems later.
A new study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology discovered that lowering the blood sugar of those with prediabetes could reduce the risk of heart attack by half.
Diabetes researchers and endocrine experts across Europe, China and the U.S. investigated how bringing blood sugar back to normal levels affected the chances of heart problems later in life, based on a 20-year American study and a 30-year Chinese study, according to a press release.
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In both studies, the prediabetic participants were coached to make appropriate lifestyle changes to lower blood sugar (the amount of glucose in the bloodstream) through diet and exercise, also targeting weight loss.
Participants worked to lower blood sugar through diet and exercise targeted at weight loss. (iStock)
The researchers split the participants into a remission group (where blood sugar returned to normal) and a non-remission group, which included those still in the prediabetes range. They then determined who in these groups had died from heart disease or were hospitalized for heart failure.
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Participants who went into remission had a 58% lower risk of dying from heart disease and being hospitalized for heart failure. This group also had a lower risk of other major heart events and lower overall death rates.
These heart-protective benefits lasted for decades after the program ended, the researchers found.
Those in prediabetes remission had their risk of a heart event reduced by more than half. (iStock)
“Reaching prediabetes remission is linked to a decades-long benefit, halving the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure in diverse populations,” the researchers commented in the publication of the study. “Targeting remission might represent a new approach to cardiovascular prevention.”
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld, study co-author and professor of medicine at the University Hospital Tübingen in Germany, reiterated that reaching prediabetes remission is not only relevant for reducing the progression of type 2 diabetes, but may also be associated with a “meaningful reduction in… heart attack risk, cardiac death and heart failure.”
“Importantly, this underscores that prediabetes is a modifiable stage where timely, evidence-based interventions (especially lifestyle measures, and in selected cases, medication) can make a real difference,” he added.
“Reaching prediabetes remission is linked to a decades-long benefit, halving the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure in diverse populations,” the researchers commented. (iStock)
The study did have some limitations, including that it is based on analysis of trials not originally designed to measure cardiovascular outcomes, which means the results show association but cannot prove causation.
In addition, unmeasured lifestyle and health factors, population differences and lack of randomization for heart outcomes may have influenced the reduced cardiovascular risk, the researchers acknowledged.
“This underscores that prediabetes is a modifiable stage where timely, evidence-based interventions … can make a real difference.”
Birkenfeld suggested that those with prediabetes should ask their doctors the following questions: “What is my current status? What is my personal cardiovascular risk? What is my target blood glucose level?”
Patients should also inquire about the frequency of testing for blood sugar and key risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol and other related conditions, such as kidney function or sleep apnea, he advised.
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“If lifestyle changes aren’t enough or my risk is high, would medication be appropriate for me — and what are the benefits and downsides?” the researcher asked as an example.
About 98 million American adults, more than one in three, have prediabetes, according to CDC data. Eight in 10 of these adults are unaware that they have the disease.
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One of the most widely known risks linked to the COVID-19 vaccine is myocarditis, especially in young males — and now a new Stanford study has shed some light on why this rare effect can occur.
Myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart, occurs in about one in 140,000 people who receive the first dose of the vaccine and one in 32,000 after the second dose, according to a Stanford press release. Among males 30 and younger, that rises to one in 16,750.
Symptoms of the condition include chest pain, shortness of breath, fever and palpitations, which can occur just one to three days after vaccination. Another marker is heightened levels of cardiac troponin, which indicates that the heart muscle has been damaged.
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In most cases, people who experience myocarditis recover quickly and restore full heart function, according to study author Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, the director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and a professor of medicine and radiology.
One of the most widely known risks linked to the COVID-19 vaccine is myocarditis, especially in young males. (iStock)
“It’s not a heart attack in the traditional sense,” Wu told Fox News Digital. “There’s no blockage of blood vessels as found in most common heart attacks. When symptoms are mild and the inflammation hasn’t caused structural damage to the heart, we just observe these patients to make sure they recover.”
In rare cases, however, severe heart inflammation can lead to hospitalizations, critical illness or death, Wu noted.
Finding the cause
The new Stanford study — conducted in collaboration with The Ohio State University — aimed to determine the reasons for the myocarditis. The research team analyzed blood samples from vaccinated people, some with myocarditis and some without.
They found that those with myocarditis had two proteins in their blood, CXCL10 and IFN-gamma, which are released by immune cells. Those proteins then activate more inflammation.
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“We think these two are the major drivers of myocarditis,” said Wu. “Your body needs these cytokines to ward off viruses. It’s essential to immune response, but can become toxic in large amounts.”
In mouse and heart tissue models, high levels of these proteins led to signs of heart irritation, similar to mild myocarditis.
Prevention mechanism
“One of the most striking findings was how much we could reduce heart damage in our models by specifically blocking these two cytokines, without shutting down the entire (desired) immune response to the vaccine,” Wu told Fox News Digital, noting that a targeted, “fine‑tuning” immune approach might be enough to protect the heart.
Myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart, occurs in about one in 140,000 people who receive the first dose of the vaccine and one in 32,000 after the second dose. (iStock)
“This points to a possible future way to prevent or treat myocarditis in people who are at the highest risk, while keeping the benefits of vaccination,” he added.
The team also found that genistein, an estrogen-like natural compound found in soybeans, reduced inflammation in lab tests, but this has not yet been tested in humans.
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The findings were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
“This is a very complex study,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital. “Myocarditis is very rare, and the immune mechanism makes sense.”
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“Myocarditis is worse with COVID — much more common, and generally much more severe.”
Wu agreed, adding that COVID infection is about 10 times more likely to cause myocarditis compared to mRNA-based vaccines.
‘Crucial tool’
The researchers emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines have been “heavily scrutinized” for safety and have been shown to have an “excellent safety record.”
In rare cases, however, severe heart inflammation can lead to hospitalizations, critical illness or death. (iStock)
“mRNA vaccines remain a crucial tool against COVID‑19, and this research helps explain a rare side effect and suggests ways to make future vaccines even safer, rather than a reason to avoid vaccination,” Wu said.
“The overall benefits of COVID‑19 vaccination still clearly outweigh the small risk of myocarditis for nearly all groups.”
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The study did have some limitations, primarily the fact that most of the data came from experimental systems (mice and human cells in the lab), which cannot fully capture how myocarditis develops and resolves in real patients, according to Wu.
“This points to a possible future way to prevent or treat myocarditis in people who are at the highest risk.”
“These findings do not change what people should do right now, because our work is still at the preclinical (mouse and human cells) stage,” he said. “Clinical studies will be needed to confirm whether targeted treatments are safe and effective.”
The researcher also added that myocarditis risk could rise with other types of vaccines.
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“Other vaccines can cause myocarditis and inflammatory problems, but the symptoms tend to be more diffuse,” he said in the release. “Plus, mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines’ risks have received intense public scrutiny and media coverage. If you get chest pains from a COVID vaccine, you go to the hospital to get checked out, and if the serum troponin is positive, then you get diagnosed with myocarditis. If you get achy muscles or joints from a flu vaccine, you just blow it off.”
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Gootter-Jensen Foundation.
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