Several projects have been completed or will continue into next fiscal year that bear on the mission and objectives of Environmental Carcinogenesis Program and public health. Some are highlighted: 1] breast cancer and associated risk factors. We published a paper on chemicals identified by the NTP that induce tumors of the mammary glands in rats and mice. Also, two solicited manuscripts are in press: one on epidemiologic and experimental findings centered on several known environmental risk factors for breast cancer: ioni zing radiation and electromagnetic fields, and various environmental chemi cal exposures; the other review delves more deeply into chemicals identified in experimental animals as potentially hazardous to humans and allows for considering epidemiologic studies. In cooperation with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, influence factors include: diet, breast im plants, alcoholic beverages, environmental chemicals, drugs, workplace expo sure circumstances, socioeconomics, other life-styles, and susceptibility on breast cancer incidence. Overall, chemicals identified as being clearly car cinogenic in animals might be featured advantageously for epidemiologic investigations.2] Hormonal carcinogenesis as influenced by environmental factors is a continuing theme, and a book initiated and editied by us is due for publication in early 1996.The collection of 21 chapters likely repre sents the first cohesive effort centered on the well described hormonal car cinogenesis paradigm as altered by the significant impact role of the environment on this biologic phenomena. 3] Mechanisms of chemical or agent-induced carcinogenesis continue to be a principal pursuit. Several non-mutagenic carcinogens identified in long-term bioassays have been evaluated mechanistically:androgenic/estrogenic agents, reserpine, benzene and several metabolites. Select high volume pesticides/herbicides are considered for future efforts. 4] Other mechanistic areas comprise cell proliferation and mid-term assays.
