Risk factors for cancer

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Primary Care; (United States)

OSTI ID:7174974

Lyman, G H ^[1]

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1. Medicine Service, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL (United States)

It is no longer reasonable to divide cancers into those that are genetic in origin and those that are environmental in origin. With rare exception, carcinogenesis involves environmental factors that directly or indirectly exert a change in the cell's genome. Virtually all causes of cancer are multifactorial, sometimes involving an inherited predisposition to the carcinogenic effects of environmental factors, which include chemicals, ionizing radiation, and oncogenic virus. Carcinogenesis is a multistep process including induction, promotion, and progression. Initiation requires an irreversible change in the cellular genome, whereas promotion is commonly associated with prolonged and reversible exposure. Tumor progression results in genotypic and phenotypic changes associated with tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Most information on human cancer risk is based on epidemiologic studies involving both exposed and unexposed individuals. The quality of such studies depends on their ability to assess the strength of any association of exposure and disease and careful attention to any potential bias. Few cancers are inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Several preneoplastic conditions, however, are clearly inherited and several malignancies demonstrate weak familial patterns. Environmental factors may exert their effect on DNA in a random fashion, but certain consistent changes, including specific translocations of genetic information, are often found. Currently, there is great interest in the close proximity of certain oncogenes governing growth control to the consistent chromosomal changes observed. Such changes may represent a final common pathway of action for environmental carcinogens. Sufficient laboratory and epidemiologic evidence exists to establish a causal association of several chemical agents with cancer.

• OSTI ID: 7174974
• Journal Information: Primary Care; (United States), Journal Name: Primary Care; (United States) Vol. 19:3; ISSN 0095-4543; ISSN PRCADR
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560151 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
CARCINOGENESIS
DISEASES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAMMALS
MAN
NEOPLASMS
PATHOGENESIS
PHENOTYPE
PRIMATES
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RISK ASSESSMENT
VERTEBRATES
XENOBIOTICS