Scientists now have a good understanding of how formaldehyde causes nasal cancer in animals at high levels. Unless levels get high enough to kill cells, nasal cancer is not expected to occur. Thus, at the levels to which people are exposed, most scientists believe that there is essentially no risk of any form of respiratory cancer. An international review completed in 2002 stated this in more formal scientific terms: "There is no convincing evidence of increased risks of nasopharyngeal cancer in cohort studies of populations of professionals or industrial workers exposed to formaldehyde, since the total number of cases of this rare cancer is small."
NICNAS provided the following comments on cancer:
“The possible relationship between formaldehyde exposure and cancer has been studied extensively in experimental animals and humans. There is clear evidence of nasal squamous cell carcinomas from inhalation studies in the rat, but not in the mouse and hamster. Although several epidemiological studies of occupational exposure to formaldehyde have indicated an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancers, the data are not consistent. The postulated mode of action for nasal tumours in rats is biologically plausible and considered likely to be relevant to humans.
There are also concerns of an increased risk for formaldehyde-induced myeloid leukaemia, however, the data are not considered sufficient to establish a causal association. In addition, there is currently no postulated mode of action to support such an effect. NICNAS will maintain a watching brief on the issue of leukaemia and formaldehyde exposure. Based on the available nasopharyngeal cancer data, formaldehyde should be regarded as if it may be carcinogenic to humans following inhalation exposure.”
As a result NICNAS classified Formaldehyde as a Category 2 carcinogen, Risk phrase R49, may cause cancer by inhalation). Further comment by NICNAS on the risk associated with formaldehyde exposure by the public:
“Based on the CIIT carcinogenic risk estimates of formaldehyde to humans (see table above), the public health risk of respiratory tract cancer after repeated exposure to formaldehyde levels in ambient air is low (less than 1 in a million)”.
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