Chemical carcinogenesis: Too many rodent carcinogens

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.87.19.7772· OSTI ID:5733681

Ames, B N; Gold, L S ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of California, Berkeley (USA)

The administration of chemicals at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in standard animal cancer tests is postulated to increase cell division (mitogenesis), which in turn increases rates of mutagenesis and thus carcinogenesis. The animal data are consistent with this mechanism, because a high proportion{endash}about half{endash}of all chemicals tested (whether natural or synthetic) are indeed rodent carcinogens. The authors conclude that at the low doses of most human exposures, where cell killing does not occur, the hazards to humans of rodent carcinogens may be much lower than is commonly assumed.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 5733681
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA), Vol. 87:19; ISSN 0027-8424
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CARCINOGENESIS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CARCINOGENS
HEALTH HAZARDS
GENE RECOMBINATION
LABORATORY ANIMALS
MAN
MUTAGENESIS
TOXICITY
ANIMALS
HAZARDS
MAMMALS
PATHOGENESIS
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology