US ENVIRONMENTAL-PROTECTION-AGENCY GUIDELINES FOR CARCINOGEN RISK ASSESSMENT - PAST AND FUTURE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently proposed new guidelines to update and replace the 1986 USEPA Guidelines for Carcin ogen Risk Assessment, Today, there is a better understanding of the va riety of modes by which carcinogens can operate that did not exist whe n the 1986 USEPA guidelines were published, Many laboratories are addi ng new test protocols in their programs directed at questions concerni ng the mechanisms of action of carcinogens. In response to the evolvin g science of carcinogenesis, the new guidelines provide an analytical framework for incorporating all relevant biological information and re cognizing a variety of situations regarding cancer risk, In addition, the guidelines are flexible enough to allow consideration of future sc ientific advances.