US EPA

2452553 

Journal Article 

Review 

Formaldehyde carcinogenicity research: 30 years and counting for mode of action, epidemiology, and cancer risk assessment 

Swenberg, JA; Moeller, BC; Lu, K; Rager, JE; Fry, RC; Starr, TB 

2013 

Yes 

Toxicologic Pathology
ISSN: 0192-6233
EISSN: 1533-1601 

41 

2 

181-189 

English 

23160431 

10.1177/0192623312466459 

WOS:000331462300002 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0192623312466459
Exit
 

Formaldehyde is a widely used high production chemical that is also released as a byproduct of combustion, off-gassing of various building products, and as a fixative for pathologists and embalmers. What is not often realized is that formaldehyde is also produced as a normal physiologic chemical in all living cells. In 1980, chronic inhalation of high concentrations of formaldehyde was shown to be carcinogenic, inducing a high incidence of nasal squamous cell carcinomas in rats. Some epidemiologic studies have also found increased numbers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and leukemia in humans exposed to formaldehyde that resulted in formaldehyde being considered a Known Human Carcinogen. This article reviews the data for rodent and human carcinogenicity, early Mode of Action studies, more recent molecular studies of both endogenous and exogenous DNA adducts, and epigenetic studies. It goes on to demonstrate the power of these research studies to provide critical data to improve our ability to develop science-based cancer risk assessments, instead of default approaches. The complexity of constant physiologic exposure to a known carcinogen requires that new ways of thinking be incorporated into determinations of cancer risk assessment for formaldehyde, other endogenous carcinogens, and the role of background endogenous DNA damage and mutagenesis. 

biomarkers; carcinogenesis; environmental toxicology; inhalation; mechanisms of toxicity; risk assessment