An international multi-disciplinary conference will be convened (October 28-31, 1991, in Kona, Hawaii) to present results and discuss the effective application in biochemical and molecular epidemiology of a) new methods for monitoring exposure to DNA-damaging and promoting agents and b) the exploration of molecular, chromosomal and cellular markers for individual susceptibility of humans to carcinogens. Up to 250 biochemists, molecular biologists and epidemiologists are expected to attend, giving invited and proffered papers (1:2 ratio). Since the last conference (1987), many integrated epidemiological studies have been implemented thus allowing a critical evaluation of the usefulness of these markers. The meeting will assess the significance of the above end-points in humans as both exposure and susceptibility indicators in relation to carcinogens in tobacco, diet, occupation, anti-cancer drugs. Molecular dosimetry will be included for major classes of carcinogens and other complex mixtures to which humans are known to be exposed. A number of new highly promising laboratory methods have been developed to measure individual susceptibility in the multi-stage carcinogenic process in humans; the use of such markers appears now to be an obligatory adjunct to molecular epidemiology. Therefore, the meeting will specifically discuss the opportunities to simultaneously apply both approaches in human studies; the potential contributions to risk assessment will be examined. Current applications of these methods/end-points will be reviewed with emphasis on: a) their utility to assess the long-term vs. recent exposure; b) identification of carcinogenic hazards and unknown exposures; c) identification of high risk groups and subjects and, d) assessment of cancer protective agents and efficacy of intervention trials. The conference and the proceedings volume will give guidance for the best coordinated research efforts and worldwide priorities for conducting studies in metabolic and molecular cancer epidemiology.
