CELL-PROLIFERATION AND CHEMICAL CARCINOGENESIS - SYMPOSIUM OVERVIEW

Cancer, by definition, is a proliferative disease. The fundamental sci entific issue explored at the international symposium ''Cell Prolifera tion and Chemical Carcinogenesis'' was the impact of chemically enhanc ed cell proliferation on the dynamic carcinogenic processes. This conf erence, held at the National Institute of Environmental Health Science s January 14-16, 1992, provided an open forum for the exchange of new results, information, and ideas in four areas: a) general principles o f cell division and carcinogenesis, b) critical evaluation of cell pro liferation methodologies, c) cell proliferation and modeling of organ- specific carcinogenesis, and d) cell proliferation and human carcinoge nesis. This overview summarizes key findings from that symposium. The general view expressed was that although cell proliferation is involve d inextricably in the development of cancers, chemically enhanced cell division does not reliably predict carcinogenicity. Our knowledge of the multistep nature of carcinogenesis has advanced substantially duri ng recent years; however, much still needs to be learned. A greater un derstanding of the cellular and molecular events in chemical carcinoge nesis should improve all aspects of the overall risk assessment proces s, including extrapolations based on dose, species, and interindividua l differences.