Exposure to chemicals in the outdoors, at home, and at work may add to your chances of getting cancer. Certain chemicals, including benzene, beryllium, asbestos, vinyl chloride, and arsenic are known human carcinogens, meaning they have been found to cause cancer in humans. A person’s risk of developing cancer depends on how much, how long, how often, and when they are exposed to these chemicals. When you are exposed is important because a small exposure in the womb, for example, may be more serious than a small exposure as an adult. The genes that you inherit from your parents also play a role.
Some chemicals are known to cause cancer in animals, but they have not been proven to cause cancer in humans. These chemicals are reasonably anticipated to cause cancer in humans and are sometimes called possible human carcinogens. Chloroform, DDT, formaldehyde, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are examples of possible human carcinogens.
Getting cancer from a chemical depends on the following:
• The kind of chemical you were exposed to,
• How much of the chemical you were in contact with, • How long the contact lasted,
• How often you were exposed,
• When you were exposed,
• How you were exposed, and
• Your general health.
I copied and pasted this so make sure you change it up a bit!