title: [Screening of chemicals and tests for carcinogenicity - part of comprehensive toxicological investigation].
abstract: Screening tests (short-term tests) can be utilized as methods to select suspicious chemicals which should or must be further tested in long-term animal experiments. Up to now long-term animal bioassays rank prominent in predicting possible carcinogenicity of a compound in man even when taking into account all limitations of evaluation and extrapolation of results obtained to man. Any substance which is shown to cause tumors in animals should be considered carcinogenic and therefore to be a potential hazard for man, Distinction between "animal" carcinogens and "human" carcinogens is not justified and should be avoided. Screening of chemicals and testing for carcinogenicity are parts of protective measurements related to primary cancer prevention. In special cases it can be necessary to weigh risk against benefit from a chemical to enable realistic political decisions in the field of health protection.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002273:Carcinogens; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens
vernacular_title: Screening chemischer Verbindungen und Test auf cancerogene Eigenschaften - Bestandteile einer umfassenden toxikologischen Prüfung.