Carcinogenicity
AA and the acrylate esters have been assessed for carcinogenicity in a number of studies by various routes of exposure and found in most studies to be not carcinogenic. AA did not cause an increase in tumors in a rat 2-year drinking water study or in chronic mouse skin painting studies. MA, EA, and BA did not cause increases in tumors in rats in 2-year inhalation studies. EA was also negative for carcinogenicity in chronic dermal and drinking water studies. It did cause tumors in the forestomachs of rats and mice given by gavage in doses that caused marked local irritation, a situation that is not considered relevant to humans. 2-EHA caused an increase in skin tumors in some, but not all, chronic dermal studies in mice. 2-EHA induced skin tumors at concentrations that were highly irritating, and this damage was presumed to be the mode of action for tumor formation. These studies illustrate that none of the members tested produced evidence of carcinogenicity of known relevance to humans in chronic/oncogenicity studies.