IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans
The IARC Monographs identify the preventable causes of human cancer. These include chemicals, physical and biological agents, pharmaceuticals, complex mixtures, occupational exposures, and other exposures of everyday life (e.g. lifestyle factors). National and international health agencies can use this information as scientific support for their actions to prevent exposure to potential carcinogens.
Interdisciplinary working groups of expert scientists review the published studies and evaluate the strength of the evidence that an agent can increase the risk of cancer. The principles, procedures, and scientific criteria that guide the evaluations are described in the Preamble to the IARC Monographs. The Preamble was most recently reviewed and updated in 2019, when the name of the IARC Monographs programme was also revised.
Since 1971, more than 1000 agents have been evaluated, of which more than 500 have been identified as carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, or possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Corrigenda to the IARC Monographs are updated when necessary and
published online at https:
The IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans were formerly known as the IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans.