Long-term exposure to arsenic can easily lead to skin cancer

The causes of skin cancer are relatively complex and the mechanism is not yet clear. Common causes include chemical contact, physical radiation, viral infection, precancerous lesions and many other factors. Among them, long-term exposure to arsenic-containing substances is a more clear carcinogenic factor.

What is arsenic?

Arsenic is a non-metallic chemical element that exists in nature. It mainly exists in the form of minerals, including realgar and orpiment.

Where is arsenic in our daily life?

Avoiding long-term contact with arsenic can reduce the incidence of skin cancer, but where is arsenic in life? As mentioned above, arsenic in nature mainly exists in the form of minerals, and groundwater also contains a small amount of arsenic compounds. Foods with high arsenic content include seafood, wine, cereals and cereal products. Arsenic is more widely used in industry. Printing alloys, brass (for condensers), battery grids, wear-resistant alloys, high-strength structural steels and corrosion-resistant steels all use arsenic. Diodes, light-emitting diodes, infrared transmitters, lasers, pesticides, preservatives, dyes, cotton desiccants, paints and pigments, and leaded gasoline also contain a large amount of arsenic.

Arsenic damage to the skin

Arsenic damages human health in multiple systems, including the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, and blood systems, but arsenic is most closely related to skin cancer. The appearance of patches of pigmentation throughout the body is an indicator of chronic arsenic exposure. In most people with arsenic poisoning, the hyperkeratinized skin lesions on their skin may not change into cancer for decades, but in a small number of people, the hyperkeratinized lesions will turn into precancerous lesions that are difficult to distinguish from skin cancer in situ. Chronic arsenic ingestion is closely related to skin cancer. Skin cancer is often found in studies of people who have long consumed drugs and water containing inorganic arsenic, as well as those exposed to arsenic in the workplace. The skin cancer-causing effect of arsenic is usually systemic, but it has a higher incidence in areas such as the trunk, palms, and soles that are less exposed to sunlight.

Therefore, avoiding long-term arsenic exposure and minimizing contact with substances with high arsenic content can reduce the incidence of skin cancer.