Products that May Trigger Cancer Unleashed

A handful of sneaky products that people regularly use may actually be the culprits in triggering cancer, FOX News reports.

Laundry detergents have been found to contain cancer-causing chemical and although it may remove stains, it also leaves behind a toxic chemical. An environmental group discovered one, four-dioxane lurking in laundry detergent when they conducted a study in 2011. Although the chemical is not directly considered a proven cancer causer in people, it has triggered liver and nasal tumors in rats.

Likely, formaldehyde chemicals, normally found in wrinkle-free dress shirts, may cause nasal and respiratory cancers in humans. Sonya Lunder, M.P.H., of the Environmental Working Group said any form of contamination raises a person's risk and multiple sources add up. There's also no safe level of exposure. Certain foods like French fries, chips and bread that contain the chemical acrylamide may also be a trigger for cancer.

Acrylamide, a form of a chemical used to treat wastewater, is normally found un French fries, donuts, chips and breads. "When some carb-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, the amino acid asparagine reacts with sugars in the foods, forming acrylamide," said Timothy Fennell, toxicology director at RTI International. The body's reaction to the chemical may lead to DNA mutations that may then raise cancer risks.

The use of Styrofoam cups and containers may also be a problem. Since these products contain the chemical Styrene, it may damage DNA. Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban Styrofoam from being used in New York City because it isn't biodegradable and it is also reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, according to a report by the National Toxicology Program.