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7 - Chemical factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 May 2010

John Higginson
Affiliation:
Georgetown University, Washington DC
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Summary

Background

The discipline of chemical carcinogenesis originated from Pott's observations on soot and scrotal cancer in chimney sweeps. Later, the identification of other occupational cancers in the nineteenth and early twentieth century followed by the isolation of pure chemical carcinogens established chemical carcinogenesis as an important discipline. In view of the importance of chemicals as environmental carcinogens not only in the work-place but also in the ambient environment, the epidemiologist should be also cognizant with recent laboratory developments and their relevance to cancer prevention and control policies. The object of this chapter is to review certain general issues and principles of epidemiological interest.

The universe of chemicals is believed to constitute 9 to 10 million compounds with over 60,000 in general commercial use. However, less than 4000 comprise over 98% of the total production distributed as in Table 7.1 (Blair & Bowman, 1983). It should be noted that the term new chemical in commercial practice does not necessarily denote a new molecule of unknown activity or structure but also encompasses minor structural variations, e.g. new salt, or a new mixture of known chemicals.

While chemicals may influence or cause cancer through many different mechanisms, as pointed out in Chapter 6, a ‘chemical carcinogen’ can be defined adequately for public health purposes.

Type
Chapter
Information
Human Cancer
Epidemiology and Environmental Causes
, pp. 74 - 96
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1992

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