No abstract

Cancers arise as a consequence of the interactions between environmental factors and specific genes. The environmental factors range from the ubiquitous, such as sunlight, to the highly specific, such as occupational exposures to particular chemicals. The genes with which these factors interact include those that influence the metabolic fate and distribution of specific chemicals as well as those that may be targets for the action of chemicals. Since the magnitude and duration of exposure are critical factors in determining the consequences of chemical-gene interactions, the toxicological properties of environmental carcinogens are also significant determinants.