title: Limitations of in vitro short-term tests as prescreening models for carcinogenicity in industry: a theoretical approach.
abstract: The validity of in vitro short-term tests was investigated using published data from 10 investigations on a total of more than 800 compounds. The predictive value strongly depends on the number of carcinogens investigated in a test and, therefore, is not suited to describe the reliability of a short-term test. The usefulness of short-term tests as prescreening models for possible carcinogenicity to be used as a routine procedure in industry is very limited. If it is assumed that most of the compounds tested are non-carcinogenic, other criteria than results of short-term tests should be used additionally in deciding which compounds require investigation in long-term bioassays for possible tumorigenic hazards.
mesh_terms: D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D007221:Industry; D008722:Methods
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens