After studying over 200 research papers on NDMA and the NDMA cancer risk, the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC), a unit of the World Health Organization (WHO), placed the chemical in the “Group 2A” category, which indicates that a substance is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
The agency found that NDMA is “carcinogenic in all animal species tested” and noted that the metabolism of NDMA by humans and animals is similar.
NDMA was found to cause malignant tumor growth in multiple organs, in multiple species, by multiple routes of exposure (oral, inhalation, subcutaneous (under the skin), injections), with dose-response relationships appearing in several studies. Scientists are also gaining detailed knowledge of the biochemical mechanisms used by the body to repair NDMA DNA damage and how those mechanisms play a role in the progression towards cancer.
The IARC is comprised of teams of scientists from multiple countries who investigate the cancer-causing potential of suspect chemicals and substances and publish papers to report the results.
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