Atmospheric Genotoxicants—What Numbers Do We Collect?

Abstract

To advance the estimation of human environmental risk, especially cancer prevention, from the body-count phase to realistic extrapolation, we need to carry out more sophisticated carcinogenic studies with animals and submammalian species mimicking the human condition. We have seemingly unsurmountable difficulties with our perspective in the study of human carcinogenesis because the paucity of our environmental data and the simplicity of our carcinogen models of purebred animals and “pure” chemicals so misleads us as to obscure reality. Before we can begin to understand human chemical carcinogenesis, we need to know the genetic background of the individual, the key genotoxicant(s) to which the individual is heavily exposed, and the families of genotoxicants in the individuals environment. We are exposed to genotoxicants because of our particular life style (e.g., cigarette smoking, drugs, medicines, and cosmetics), and because the chemicals are present in the life-supporting environment (e.g., food, water, and air) we share with other people.