International Agency for Research on Cancer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids  International Agency for Research on Cancer / Centre international de recherche sur le cancer |
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| Org type | Agency |
| Status | Active |
| Headquarters | Lyon, France |
| Website | www.iarc.who.int |
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is a special group that works with the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO is part of the United Nations. IARC's main job is to study what causes cancer. They also gather information about how often cancer happens around the world.
IARC has a special program called IARC Monographs. This program helps find out what things in our environment might cause cancer in people.
IARC has its own leaders. When it started in 1965, the first member countries were West Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Today, 27 countries are part of IARC.
How IARC Started
IARC began because a journalist named Yves Poggioli wanted to fight cancer. In 1963, he wrote a letter asking for an international center to study cancer. He suggested using money from nuclear weapons budgets to fund it.
Many important French people supported his idea. They wrote to French president Charles de Gaulle. President de Gaulle liked the idea and talked to the head of the World Health Organization. The plan moved quickly!
IARC was officially created on May 20, 1965. It became the main cancer agency for the World Health Organization. Its main office is in Lyon, France.
Many directors have led IARC over the years. These include John Higginson, Lorenzo Tomatis, Paul Kleihues, Peter Boyle, Christopher Wild, and currently, Elisabete Weiderpass.
What IARC Monographs Do
In 1970, IARC started getting many questions about what things might cause cancer. So, they decided to create a series of books called IARC Monographs. These books list and explain chemicals and other things that might cause cancer.
IARC looks at evidence from studies on humans and animals. They then put different agents (like chemicals or exposures) into groups. These groups show how strong the evidence is that something causes cancer. It's important to remember that these groups are about the strength of evidence, not how much risk something causes.
Group 1: Causes Cancer in Humans
This group means there is strong evidence that something causes cancer in people. This evidence usually comes from studies on humans. It can also come from strong evidence in animals and clear proof of how it works in humans.
- Examples: Tobacco smoke, alcoholic drinks, Chinese-style salted fish, and processed meats.
Group 2A: Probably Causes Cancer in Humans
This group means there is some evidence from human studies and strong evidence from animal studies. Sometimes, something can be in this group if there's not enough human evidence but strong animal evidence, and it's clear how it could cause cancer in humans.
- Examples: Fumes from high-temperature frying, working as a hairdresser or barber, red meat, and night shift work.
Group 2B: Possibly Causes Cancer in Humans
This group means there is some evidence from human studies, but less strong evidence from animal studies. It can also be used if there's not enough human evidence but enough animal evidence. Sometimes, things are in this group if there's strong evidence from how they work in the body, even if human and animal studies aren't super clear.
- Examples: Working in textile factories, printing processes, traditional Asian pickled vegetables, and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (like from cell phones).
Group 3: Not Classifiable as Cancer-Causing
This group means there isn't enough evidence to say if something causes cancer in humans or animals. If something doesn't fit into any other group, it goes here. This doesn't mean it's safe or doesn't cause cancer. It just means more research is needed.
- About half of all things IARC has looked at are in this group.
Group 4: Probably Does Not Cause Cancer in Humans
This group means there is evidence that something does not cause cancer in humans or animals.
- As of 2018, only one substance, caprolactam, is in this group.
IARC Member Countries
The first five countries to join IARC were the US, France, Italy, West Germany, and the UK.
Since then, 21 more countries have joined. Three countries have left IARC.
| Countries | Entry | Exit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Resolution | Date | Resolution | |
| Australia | September 1965 | GC/1/R1 | ||
| USSR then Russia | September 1965 | GC/1/R2 | ||
| Israel | April 1966 | GC/2/R1 | October 1971 | GC/9/R11 |
| Netherlands | April 1967 | GC/3/R1 | ||
| Belgium | October 1970 | GC/8/R10 | ||
| Japan | May 1972 | GC/10/R1 | ||
| Sweden | May 1979 | GC/18/R1 | ||
| Canada | January 1982 | GC/22/R1 | ||
| Finland | April 1986 | GC/27/R1 | ||
| Norway | April 1987 | GC/28/R1 | ||
| Denmark | May 1990 | GC/31/R1 | ||
| Switzerland | May 1990 | GC/31/R2 | ||
| Argentina | May 1998 | GC/39/R1 | May 2001 | GC/42/R3 |
| Brazil | May 1998 | GC/39/R2 | May 2001 | GC/42/R4 |
| Spain | May 2003 | GC/44/R1 | ||
| India | May 2006 | GC/48/R1 | ||
| South Korea | May 2006 | GC/48/R2 | ||
| Ireland | May 2007 | GC/49/R2 | ||
| Austria | May 2008 | GC/50/R18 | ||
| Brazil | May 2013 | GC/55/17 | ||
| Qatar | May 2013 | GC/55/19 | ||
| Morocco | May 2015 | GC/57/19 | ||
| China | May 2021 | GC/63/ | ||
Related Topics
- Air pollution
- European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
- European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)
- Genotoxic
- Mutagen
- National Cancer Institute (US)
- Toxicology
