Assessment of Animal Tumour Promotion Data for the Human Situation

There is considerable evidence that cancer development in humans and experimental animals includes different stages that are results of interactions between target cells and various endogenous/exogenous factors. In order to protect man from chemically induced cancer, the development of suitable test systems for the detection of carcinogenic potency has been and still is an important task of applied toxicological research. Conventional cancer bioassays in which rodents are exposed to a certain chemical over two years is commonly used to investigate possible carcinogens. This test procedure is costly with respect to time and money and makes use of a large number of animals.