What is going on in cancer epidemiology in 2001?

There has been considerable changes in cancer epidemiology during the last fifteen years because of the discovery of numerous cancer susceptibility ge nes. Knowledge of environmental factors, such as radiation, nutrition, or c hemical carcinogens, which have been evidenced during the last century, con tinues to regularly improve. Nowadays, there is a general agreement on the respective contribution of genetic and environmental factors in causing can cer. Efforts are now concentrating on improving the knowledge of the joint effects of these different factors. This will help defining prevention poli cy, in particular towards subgroups of specifically sensitive individuals. However, the definition of such a policy is expected to encounter a number of difficulties in the future.