IARC Monographs evaluation of the carcinogenicity of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and arecoline

The results of the recent IARC Monographs evaluation of the carcinogenicity of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and arecoline have now been published in The Lancet Oncology. This summary article presents the conclusions of IARC Monographs Meeting 128.

Acrolein and crotonaldehyde were previously evaluated by the Working Group in 1995. Arecoline was evaluated by the Working Group for the first time.

Acrolein and crotonaldehyde are industrial chemicals with a high production volume that are also present in tobacco smoke, in ambient air pollution, and in some cooking oils heated to a high temperature. Arecoline is the primary active ingredient of the areca nut. The Working Group evaluated acrolein as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) on the basis of sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity in experimental animals and strong mechanistic evidence. Crotonaldehyde and arecoline were classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) on the basis of strong mechanistic evidence.

The full scientific assessment will be published as Volume 128 of the IARC Monographs.

IARC Monographs Volume 128 Working Group
Carcinogenicity of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and arecoline
Lancet Oncol, Published online 26 November 2020;
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30727-0

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