International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations
LEAD SALTS
VOL.: 1 (1972) (p. 40)
5. Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation
5.1 Animal carcinogenicity data
Lead acetate is carcinogenic in rats and mice; lead subacetate and
lead phosphate are carcinogenic in the rat. Given orally, they produce
benign and malignant tumours of the kidney. The observation that
exposure of rats to lead subacetate may result in an increased
frequency of gliomas needs confirmation, as well as the observation of
a high frequency of tumours of the testis, adrenal, thyroid, pituitary
and prostate, together with renal tumours, in rats
receiving lead acetate. No induction of tumours was
reported to occur following exposure to lead arsenate or lead
carbonate, but the evidence cannot be held as conclusive.
The pattern of absorption metabolism and storage of lead in the body
seems to be similar in all animal species that have been studied. The
kidney is a target from the point of view of toxicity in all animal
species studied. Renal enlargement and the appearance of intranuclear
inclusion bodies in the epithelial cells occur in all laboratory
animal species and in man in the same way.
5.2 Human carcinogenicity data
There is no evidence to suggest that exposure to lead salts causes
cancer of any site in man. However, only one epidemiological study of
the relationships between exposure to lead and the occurrence of
cancer has been reported. It must be noted that the level of human
exposure equivalent to the levels of lead acetate producing renal
tumours in rats is 810 mg per day (550 mg Pb). This level appears to
exceed by far the maximum tolerated dose for man.
Subsequent evaluations: Vol. 23 (1980); Suppl. 7 (1987)
Last updated: 12 March 1998