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. Two solicited manuscripts were prepared: one on epidemiologic and experimental findings centered on several known environmental risk factors for breast cancer: ionizing radiation and electromagnetic fields, and various environmental chemical exposures has been published; the other in press 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 implants, alcoholic beverages, environmental chemicals, drugs, workplace exposure circumstances, socioeconomics, other life-styles, and susceptibility on breast cancer incidence. Overall, chemicals identified as being clearly carcinogenic in animals might be featured advantageously for epidemiologic investigations. 2] Hormonal carcinogenesis as influenced by environmental factors is a continuing theme, a book initiated and edited by us was published in early 1996. The 21 chapters represent the first cohesive effort centered on the well described hormonal carcinogenesis paradigm as altered by the environment.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. Pesticides/herbicides are considered for future efforts.4] Other mechanistic areas comprise cell proliferation and mid-term assays.5]
