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International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations

PHENACETIN

VOL.: 13 (1977) (p. 141)

5. Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation

5.1 Animal data

In one limited study in which phenacetin was administered orally to rats, no carcinogenic effects were observed. One putative metabolite of phenacetin, N-hydroxyphenacetin, is carcinogenic in rats after its oral administration: it produced hepatocellular carcinomas.

N.B. - The Working Group was aware that several studies on the carcinogenicity of phenacetin are underway (IARC, 1976).

5.2 Human data

Available data indicate that heavy use of analgesic mixtures containing phenacetin is associated with papillary necrosis of the kidney and suggest a relationship between such use and the development of transitional-cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

Subsequent evaluations: Vol. 24 (1980); Suppl. 7 (1987)

Last updated: 25 March 1998 






























    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Phenacetin (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Volume 24, 1980)