Benzo[a]pyrene carcinogenicity across organs and cancer stages: Molecular mechanisms and interactions with co-exposed chemicals.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) exhibits carcinogenicity across multiple organs and cancer stages, involving stage-dependent, tissue-specific, and interaction-driven processes.

• Why it matters: Understanding BaP's complex mechanisms and interactions with co-exposed chemicals is crucial for accurate environmental health risk assessments, as current knowledge is limited.
• What they did: The review synthesizes classical and recent evidence on BaP-induced carcinogenicity, focusing on tissue-specific effects, molecular mechanisms, and co-carcinogenic interactions across four interconnected dimensions.
• The result: Findings suggest BaP's carcinogenicity extends beyond genotoxic initiation, emphasizing the need for multidimensional, mechanism-informed approaches to evaluate environmental risks and chemical mixtures.