What term describes a substance or agent that, with excessive exposure, can cause cancer?

What term describes a substance or agent that, with excessive exposure, can cause cancer?

• A. Mutagen
• B. Carcinogen
• C. Toxicant
• D. Teratogen

Answer: (B)

A carcinogen is the term for any substance or agent that has the potential to cause cancer, especially with sufficient or prolonged exposure. Carcinogens can contribute to cancer by damaging DNA, causing mutations that start tumor growth, or by promoting the survival and division of abnormal cells. This focuses on cancer risk specifically, whereas a mutagen is any agent that increases mutation rate (which can contribute to cancer but isn’t limited to it), a teratogen causes birth defects, and a toxicant is any poisonous substance without specifying cancer risk. So the label that directly describes cancer-causing potential is carcinogen.

A carcinogen is the term for any substance or agent that has the potential to cause cancer, especially with sufficient or prolonged exposure. Carcinogens can contribute to cancer by damaging DNA, causing mutations that start tumor growth, or by promoting the survival and division of abnormal cells. This focuses on cancer risk specifically, whereas a mutagen is any agent that increases mutation rate (which can contribute to cancer but isn’t limited to it), a teratogen causes birth defects, and a toxicant is any poisonous substance without specifying cancer risk. So the label that directly describes cancer-causing potential is carcinogen.