Bis(2-Chloroethyl)sulfide

Classification of carcinogenicity: 1) evidence in humans: sufficient; 2) evidence in animals: limited. Overall summary evaluation of carcinogenic risk to humans is Group 1: The agent is carcinogenic to humans. /From table/

Mustard gas: known to be a human carcinogen.

Evaluation: There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of mustard gas. Mustard gas causes cancer of the lung. Also, a positive association has been observed between mustard gas and cancer of the larynx, There is limited evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of sulfur mustard. There is strong evidence that the carcinogenicity of sulfur mustard operates by a genotoxic mechanism of action that involves DNA alkylation leading to cross-link formation, inhibition of DNA synthesis and repair, point mutations, and induction of chromosome-type and chromatid-type aberrations. Sulfur mustard is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).

Mustard gas is known to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans.