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Cigarette smoke contains harmful substances called carcinogens. Explain what a carcinogen is.

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Cigarette smoke contains harmful substances called carcinogens.
Explain what a carcinogen is.

Cigarette smoke contains harmful substances called carcinogens. Explain what a carcinogen is.

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XenaElite · Tutor for 8 years

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A carcinogen is a substance or factor that can cause or promote cancer.

Explain

Carcinogens work by altering the structure or the functionality of the DNA in our cells. When the DNA changes, normal cell growth and replication may go out of check, leading to cancer. While many substances, radionuclide or radiations can denote carcinogens, it's essential to understand that their carcinogenic activity comes from the harm they inflict like from the radiation - alpha particles or gamma rays they give off, not their basic existence. Not all carcinogen sources are substances - even factors like numerous viral infections in humans or certain livestock parasites can bring forth cancer. Carcinogens' classification varies, with organizations like the International Agency for Research on Cancer sorting them into Groups 1, 2A, 2B, 3, and 4, each bearing different degrees of carcinogenic implications for humans. In specific reference to your query, cigarette smoke is indeed listed as a category 1 carcinogen due to the comprehensive evidence tying it to diseases such as lung cancer.
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