Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T01:46:09.558Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

11 - Carcinogenicity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 September 2010

Get access

Summary

Introduction

‘There is only one unambiguous experimental method to determine cardnogenicity; it is to ascertain if your compound produces cancer in animals.’ (Quoted from Huggins, 1979.) Cancer induction is a complex process, still not completely understood, and the experimental demonstration of a chemical's carcinogenic properties is dependent on a number of variables such as the dose administered, the species, age and sex of the animal employed, the mode of administration, the use of cocarcinogens or promotors, the time period of experimental observation and ensuring that sufficient numbers of animals survive the experiment for adequate statistical analyses to be performed. Conflicting data are occasionally reported from laboratories in which different procedures are employed. Also difficulties arise when attempts are made to compare the relative potency of various chemicals as carcinogens. Iball (1939) proposed that there are two measurable parameters involved in determining the potency of carcinogenic compounds; one is the percentage incidence of tumours, the other is the average latent period for the appearance of tumours. Giving equal weight to both these factors, Iball constructed an index of carcinogenic potency for various chemical carcinogens; 7,12-DMBA was by far the most potent chemical tested. An additional indicator of carcinogenic potential, which is often reported from skin-painting experiments, is the number of tumours per animal. Comprehensive tables on the carcinogenicity of benz[a]anthracene and its derivatives have been reported by Dipple et al. (1984a).

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×