Kaiser - Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis

Hans E. Kaiser 1

(1)

Elizabeth K. Weisburger 1

(1)

Human behavior, including stress and other factors, plays an important role in neoplasia, although too little is known on the reasons for such development. Carcinogens, which help initiate the neoplastic process, may be either synthetic or naturally-occurring. Cancer causation may be ascribed to certain chemicals, physical agents, radioactive materials, viruses, parasites, the genetic make-up of the organism, and bacteria. Humans, eumetazoan animals and vascular plants are susceptible to the first six groups of cancer causes, whereas the last group, bacteria, seems to affect only vascular plants. Neoplastic development may begin with impairment of body defenses by a toxic material (carcinogen) which acts as an initiator, followed by promotion and progression to an overt neoplastic state. Investigation of these processes allows not only a better insight into the mechanism of action but also the possibility of intervention in specific stages. In addition, variables which affect cancer development as well as some endogenous factors can be better delineated through such investigations.

The topics of this volume encompass premalignant noninvasive lesions, species-specific aspects of carcinogenicity, radiation, viruses, a quantum theory of carinogenesis, oncogenes, and selected environmental carcinogens.

Series Editor
Hans E. Kaiser

Volume Editor
Elizabeth K. Weisburger

Inspiration and encouragement for this wide ranging project on cancer distribution and dissemination from a comparative biological and clinical point of view, was given by my late friend E. H. Krokowski.

Those engaged on the project included 252 scientists, listed as contributors, volume editors and scientific advisors, and a dedicated staff. Special assistence was furnished by J. P. Dickson, J. A. Feulner, and I. Theloe.

I. Bauer, D. L. Fisher, S. Fleishman, K. Joshi, A. M. Lewis, J. Taylor and K. E. Yinug have provided additional assistence.

The firm support of the publisher, especially B. F. Commandeur, is deeply appreciated. The support of the University of Maryland throughout the preparation of the series is acknowledged.

To the completion of this undertaking my wife, Charlotte Kaiser, has devoted her unslagging energy and invaluable support.

Department of Psychology
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario, KLS 5B6
Canada

Laboratory of Pathology
National Cancer Institute/
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA

Department of Immunology & Infectious Diseases
Pfizer Central Research
Eastern Point Road
Croton
Connecticut 06340, USA

Department of Pathology and Microbiology
University of Nebraska
Medical Center
42nd and Dewey Avenue
Omaha
Nebraska 68105, USA

Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology
National Cancer Institute/
National Institutes of Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA

Department of Pathology
School of Medicine
University of Maryland
10 S. Pine Street
Baltimore
Maryland 21201, USA

Rhode Island Cancer Registry
Rhode Island Department of Health
Office of Health Statistics
Cannon Building 75 Davis Street
Providence, RI 02908-509
and Department of Community Health
Brown University
Providence
Rhode Island 02902, USA

Department of Tumor Biology
Virology Section
Box 79
University of Texas
M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute
6723 Bertner Ave.
Houston
Texas 77030, USA

Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
230 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania 15213-2592
USA and Department of Pathology
University of Pittsburg
School of Medicine

Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Pfizer Central Research
Eastern Point Road
Croton
Connecticut 06340, USA

Department of Psychology
MacAlester College
1600 Grand Ave.
St. Paul
Minnesota 55105, USA

Department of Psychology
Queens University
Kingston, Ontario K7L3N6
Canada

Division of Cancer Treatment
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA

Department of Pathology and Microbiology
University of Nebraska Medical Center
42nd and Dewey Avenue
Omaha
Nebraska 68105, USA

Department of Pathology School of Medicine
University of Maryland
10 S. Pine Street
Baltimore
Maryland, 21201, USA

Department of Toxicology
The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
The Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore
Maryland 21218, USA

Central Radiological Institute with Radiologic Hospital
Municipal Hospitals of Kassel
Moenchebergstr. 41/43
35 Kassel, FRG
*deceased November 5, 1985

Chair for Theoretical Chemistry
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
852 Erlangen
Egerlandstrass 3, FRG

Department of Pathology
National Cancer Institute/
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA

National Cancer Institute
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA

Chair for Theoretical
Chemistry University Erlangen-Nuremberg
852 Erlangen
Egerlandstr. 3, FRG

Department of Pathology
University of Maryland
School of Medicine
10 S. Pine Street
Baltimore
Maryland 21201, USA

Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology
National Cancer Institure/
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital
at the Netherlands Cancer Institute
Plasmanlaan 121
Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Laboratory of Experimental Therapeutic Metabolism
National Cancer Institute/
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda
Maryland 20892, USA