Inhalation Toxicology and Carcinogenicity Studies of the National Toxicology Program

In 1971 the “War on Cancer” drive provided funds for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to initiate long-term testing of a series of halogenated aliphatics. Although these compounds were widely used as solvents, fumigants, gasoline additives, and intermediates, most had had little or no testing for possible carcinogenicity. Within three years, there was a publication describing the potential for 1,2-dibromoethane (DBE) and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) to induce stomach and other cancers in rodents after gavage in corn oil (Olson et al., 1974).