title: Mathematical models of cancer and their use in risk assessment.
abstract: Cancer risk assessment necessarily involves the use of mathematical models. Although risk estimates can be extremely sensitive to underlying assumptions in such models, the assumptions are frequently overlooked when a particular model is used. This paper presents four examples to illustrate how the alteration of assumptions can have a large effect on risk estimates. Ways of avoiding undue model dependence are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis; D012306:Risk