ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some studies our laboratory conducted for the purpose of better predicting chemical carcinogenicity. The somatic mutation theory once energized the development of general mutational systems in an effort to better predict chemical carcinogenicity. Predicting chemical carcinogenicity is difficult because of the multiple mechanisms of carcinogenesis, the many stages through which carcinogenesis proceeds, and the remarkable species, sex, and organ specificity of the carcinogenic process. As with all initial reports, experimental studies with additional chemicals are desirable to further test the predictivity of these in vivo biochemical parameters. For a two-element composite cancer predictor connected with a logical “or”, the composite cancer predictor registers a positive signal if either of the two elements is positive. By grouping individual cancer predictors into composite cancer predictors in certain combinations, a better prediction may be obtained. The biochemical parameters were particularly successful in avoiding false positives.
