Mutagen vs. Carcinogen

Mutagennoun

Any agent or substance that can cause genetic mutation.

Carcinogennoun

A substance or agent that can cause cancer.

Mutagennoun

A chemical compound or other external influence (such as ionizing radiation) which causes mutations{3}.

Carcinogennoun

Any substance that produces cancer; as, to test for carcinogens in the drinking water.

Mutagennoun

any agent (physical or environmental) that can induce a genetic mutation or can increase the rate of mutation

Carcinogennoun

any substance that produces cancer

Mutagen

In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that permanently changes genetic material, usually DNA, in an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations can cause cancer, such mutagens are therefore carcinogens, although not all necessarily are.

Carcinogen

A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis, the formation of cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes.