Section 2.0: Does dioxin cause cancer?

Yes. 

The EPA report[*fn01/*pdf01{55mb}] confirmed that dioxin is a cancer hazard to people. In 1997, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)*fn02 -- part of the World Health Organization -- published their research into dioxins and furans*pdf02{50kb} and announced on February 14, 1997, that the most potent dioxin, 2,3,7,8-TCDD, is a now considered a Group 1*fn03 carcinogen, meaning that it's a known human carcinogen.

Also, in January 2001, the U.S. National Toxicology Program*fn04 upgraded 2,3,7,8-TCDD from "Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen" to "Known to be a Human Carcinogen." 

See their reports on dioxins[*fn05/*pdf03{3mb}] and furans[*fn06/*pdf04{2.7mb}] from their 12th Report on Carcinogens*fn07 (find related documents under 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)*fn08 and Furan)*fn09. 

Finally, a 2003 re-analysis of the cancer risk from dioxin reaffirmed that there is no known "safe dose"[*fn10/*pdf05{140kb}] or "threshold" below which dioxin will not cause cancer.

A June 2012 study [*fn11/*pdf06{144kb}] shows dioxin to be related to increased incidence of breast cancer.*fn12

References: 

Footnotes:

fn01: http://dioxinsfurans.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/section-50-dioxin-reassessment-report.html

fn02: http://www.iarc.fr/

fn03: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/

fn04: http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/

fn05: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/newhomeroc/other_background/tetrachl_tcdd_4apps_508.pdf

fn06: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/newhomeroc/other_background/furan1_508.pdf

fn07: http://dioxinsfurans.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/appendix-01-12th-report-on-carcinogens.html
fn08: http://dioxinsfurans.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/appendix-01-section-t-12th-report-on.html

fn09: http://dioxinsfurans.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/appendix-01-section-f-12th-report-on.html

fn:10: http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/nosafedose.html

fn11: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/abcr.2012.13005

 

PDF Files:

pdf01: {55mb} [DHE-PDF-01] EPA/600/P-03/002F November 2006 An Inventory of Sources and Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States for the Years 1987, 1995, and 2000.

pdf02: {50kb}  [DHE-PDF-02] IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 69 Polychlorinated Dibenzo-para-Dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation Last Updated 08/12/97 (http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol69/volume69.pdf)

pdf03: {3mb}  [DHE-PDF-03] NTP Report On Carcinogens Background Document For 2,3, 7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin (TCDD) Final March 1999 {http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/newhomeroc/other_background/tetrachl_tcdd_4apps_508.pdf}

pdf04: {2.7mb}  [DHE-PDF-04] NTP Report on Carcinogens Background Document for Furan Final March 1999 {http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/newhomeroc/other_background/furan1_508.pdf}

pdf05: {140kb}  [DHE-PDF-05] No Evidence of Dioxin Cancer Threshold David Mackie,1 Junfeng Liu,1 Yeong-Shang Loh,2 and Valerie Thomas3

pdf06: {144kb}  [DHE-PDF-06] Pesticides and Breast Cancer Roberto Ferro, Arvin Parvathaneni*
, Sachin Patel, Pramil Cheriyath Pinnacle Health, Harrisburg, USA Received June 7, 2012; revised July 15, 2012; accepted July 24, 2012