The short answer
Glyphosate is a widely used weedkiller. IARC calls it a probable carcinogen linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, while the EPA concluded it is not likely to cause cancer at typical exposures. This scientific disagreement is a good example of hazard versus risk.
Glyphosate is classified as a probable human carcinogen (IARC Group 2A).
People are mainly exposed by applying weedkillers or, at low levels, through food residues.
Its main suspected link, which is debated, is to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
A carcinogen classification describes hazard — whether something can cause cancer — not your personal risk at a given exposure.
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The simple version
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in many common weedkillers. Expert groups disagree about its cancer risk. One WHO agency calls it a "probable" carcinogen. The U.S. EPA and several others concluded it is not likely to cause cancer at normal exposure levels. This is a real, unsettled scientific debate.
What glyphosate is
Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide. It is applied in farming, in landscaping, and in home gardening. In 2015, IARC classified it as probably carcinogenic (Group 2A), citing limited human evidence for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The EPA reached a different conclusion in 2017: that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. A court later sent part of the EPA's review back, and the EPA says it is updating its human health assessment.
How people are exposed
People meet glyphosate in three main ways:
- Applying glyphosate-based weedkillers in farming or gardening.
- Trace residues on some foods. The EPA says FDA testing finds these within legal limits.
The cancer connection
IARC's analysis of studies, including the Agricultural Health Study, found a statistically significant association between glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, though it rated the human evidence as limited. The EPA concluded that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. The evidence remains debated.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, places glyphosate in Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans. IARC made that evaluation in 2015. It found sufficient evidence of cancer in experimental animals and strong evidence that glyphosate can damage genes.
Hazard is not the same as risk
The disagreement makes more sense once you separate hazard from risk. The IARC listing is about hazard. It asks whether glyphosate can cause cancer under some conditions. The EPA question is closer to risk. It asks how likely cancer is at the amounts people actually meet. A worker spraying fields all season and a shopper eating trace residues share the same hazard and face very different risks.
How to lower your exposure
- Follow label directions when applying. The EPA says glyphosate used according to label directions is considered safe.
- Consider hand weeding or other options for home use.
To see where glyphosate sits among all the things that affect cancer risk, read our overview of cancer prevention and what raises cancer risk.
The bottom line
IARC calls glyphosate a probable human carcinogen (Group 2A). Other regulators disagree with that reading. Either way, the useful step is the same. Learn where your own exposure comes from, and cut it back where that is easy to do.
Common questions
Does glyphosate cause cancer?
It is debated. IARC classifies glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A): it found limited evidence in people and sufficient evidence in animal studies. The U.S. EPA concluded in 2017 that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. "Probable" is not proven.
How are people exposed to glyphosate?
People can be exposed by applying weedkillers or, at low levels, through trace residues in food. The EPA says FDA testing finds food residues within legal limits.
Which cancers are linked to glyphosate?
Its main suspected link, which is debated, is to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Agencies genuinely disagree here, which is why glyphosate is a textbook example of how a hazard label can differ from real-world risk estimates.
How can I reduce my exposure to glyphosate?
The main steps are to follow label directions and consider alternatives at home.
Does a carcinogen label mean I will get cancer?
No. A classification is about hazard — whether glyphosate can cause cancer under some conditions — not a prediction that any one exposed person will develop cancer. Your actual risk depends on the amount and length of exposure and other factors.
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Last updated: 2026-10-16Next planned review: 2028-07-05
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Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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