VINYL CHLORIDE TOXICITY

Course overview

VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER (VCM) IS AN IARC GROUP 1 CARCINOGEN KNOWN TO CAUSE HEPATIC ANGIOSARCOMA (HAS) IN HIGHLY EXPOSED INDUSTRIAL WORKERS. VCM IS A COMPONENT IN THE PRODUCTION OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) RESINS. VCM IS A HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON WITH ACUTE TOXIC EFFECTS, AS WELL AS CHRONIC CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF VINYL CHLORIDE AS AN INDUSTRIAL CARCINOGEN, THE ETIOLOGY OF EXPOSURE, ITS TOXICITY AND METABOLISM, ACUTE AND CHRONIC COMPLICATIONS OF EXPOSURE, AND THEIR MANAGEMENT.