title: A view of the relation between carcinogenesis and mutagenesis.
abstract: The somatic mutation theory of cancer causation gained the status of dogma following the demonstration in the 1970s that the majority of carcinogens were mutagens. However, more than a decade of "validation" and experimentation has failed to explain a notable group of noncongruent mutagens and carcinogens. Other evidence, including cases of nonparallel metabolic activation pathways for mutagenesis and carcinogenesis and patterns of organ-specific effects, does not support the somatic mutation theory. Therefore, the mutagenic reactions of carcinogens might be coincidental rather than causal; alternate mechanisms of carcinogenesis should be considered.
authors.affiliation: NCI-Frederick Cancer Research Facility, Maryland 21701.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lijinsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens; D009154:Mutation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D009153:Mutagens