A cancer-causing substance is known as what?

Study for the Glencoe Health Exam. Prepare with interactive flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes hints and detailed explanations. Get ready for your health exam!

Multiple Choice

A cancer-causing substance is known as what?

A cancer-causing substance is called a carcinogen. The term carcinogen describes any agent that has the capacity to cause cancer, often by damaging DNA or disrupting normal cell growth. In tobacco contexts, tar is a component that carries many cancer-causing chemicals, but tar itself isn’t the overall term for substances that cause cancer. Leukoplakia is a precancerous lesion, not a substance that causes cancer, and smokeless tobacco is a product with cancer risk, not the general term. So carcinogen is the best answer because it defines the kind of substance that can lead to cancer.

A cancer-causing substance is called a carcinogen. The term carcinogen describes any agent that has the capacity to cause cancer, often by damaging DNA or disrupting normal cell growth. In tobacco contexts, tar is a component that carries many cancer-causing chemicals, but tar itself isn’t the overall term for substances that cause cancer. Leukoplakia is a precancerous lesion, not a substance that causes cancer, and smokeless tobacco is a product with cancer risk, not the general term. So carcinogen is the best answer because it defines the kind of substance that can lead to cancer.

More practice questions