What cancers are linked to arsenic?

• A. Liver cancer
• B. Colon cancer
• C. Skin cancer
• D. Skin, lung, bladder cancer

Answer: (D)

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic increases cancer risk in several tissues, with skin, lung, and bladder cancers among the most consistently associated in humans. The skin is a classic target because prolonged arsenic exposure leads to characteristic changes like hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmented patches, and it raises the risk of skin cancers such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Lung cancer risk goes up with inhalation exposure, which occurs in occupational settings or environments with contaminated air. Bladder cancer risk rises because arsenic and its metabolites are filtered through the kidneys and come into prolonged contact with the bladder lining, promoting urinary tract urothelial carcinomas.

Mechanistically, arsenic can cause DNA damage, oxidative stress, interfere with DNA repair, and induce epigenetic changes, all of which contribute to carcinogenesis. Because of this, arsenic is considered a human carcinogen by major health agencies. Liver cancer has some evidence in highly exposed populations, but the strongest and most consistent links are skin, lung, and bladder cancers.