International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations
BHC (TECHNICAL GRADES) AND LINDANE
VOL.: 5 (1974) (p. 47)
5. Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation
5.1 Animal carcinogenicity data
Technical BHC, its pure a-,
b- and g-isomers and the
mixture of d + e isomers are
carcinogenic in mice, producing
liver-cell tumours following oral administration. This effect was
recorded in both sexes after exposure to the b- and
g-isomers; the technical compound, the
a-isomer and the d
+ e mixture were tested in male mice only.
Available feeding studies in rats were considered inadequate either
because survival rates were low, the information reported was
insufficient or because the doses given were too low.
No tumours were reported in limited skin application and subcutaneous
implantation studies in mice.
5.2 Human carcinogenicity data
No epidemiological studies were available to the Working Group.
Patients dying with cancer did not show higher concentrations of BHC
in fat tissues and liver than did control patients.
No firm conclusions as to a causal relationship with aplastic
anaemia and/or leukaemia can be drawn from available case reports.
Subsequent evaluations: Vol. 20 (1979);
Suppl. 7 (1987)
Last updated: 17 March 1998