Incazelo yesichazamazwi yegama elithi "carcinogenic" yisichasiso esisho into, i-ejenti, noma isici esinamandla okubangela umdlavuza ezintweni eziphilayo. Izinto ze-carcinogenic zaziwa ngokwandisa ingozi yokuba nomdlavuza lapho zichayeka kuzo, noma ngokumunca, ngokuhogela umoya, noma ngokuthinta isikhumba. Lezi zinto zingatholakala ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, njengamakhemikhali, imisebe, ukungcola, nezinye izici zendawo ezungezile. Kubalulekile ukuthatha izinyathelo zokuphepha futhi unciphise ukuchayeka kuma-carcinogens aziwayo ukuze kwehliswe ingcuphe yokukhula komdlavuza.