CHEMICAL PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN CANCER

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description) Environmental agents cause the majority of human cancer with greater than 60 percent of human cancer attributed to tobacco products and diet. Specific chemicals play a significant role in this human disease. While it is generally understood that chemical carcinogens produce DNA damage and DNA damage initiates the carcinogenic process, the precise mechanisms by which this occurs are only beginning to be understood. Most carcinogens generate an array of DNA adducts but only a fraction of this damage induces mutations that initiate cancer. A better understanding of the chemical and biochemical properties of carcinogens and their DNA adducts will aid in understanding the mechanisms of this complicated disease. In the last part of the 20th century, great strides were made in the identification of potential human carcinogens, the detection of their presence in the environment and characterization of DNA damage caused by these agents. Future studies are required to understand the precise mechanisms by which these compounds exert their biological effects. Recent advances in genetic engineering, DNA chip technology and chemical synthetic methods have allowed for exciting new studies in the field of chemical carcinogenesis. These studies will lead to a better understanding of how compounds initiate the carcinogenic process and will allow for the development of new prevention strategies to control human cancer. The Division of Chemical Toxicology, American Chemical Society, will hold a symposium entitled "Chemical Perspectives on Human Cancer" at Pacifichem 2000 in Honolulu, Hawaii December 14-19, 2000. Our goal is to mount a stimulating symposium that highlights the contribution that chemistry has made to the understanding of how chemicals cause cancer. The purpose of this symposium is to assemble the leading Pacific Basin experts in this field to assess the current status of the field and to define future directions for this exciting area of research. We are requesting partial support for the symposium through this grant application.