title: Future research directions for evaluating human genetic and cancer risk from environmental exposures.
abstract: The utility of biomarkers for evaluating the genotoxicity of environmental exposures is well documented. Biomarkers of both exposure and effect provide bases for assessing human-genotoxicant interactions and may be indicative of future disease risk. At present, there is little information on the predictive value of these assays for either a population or the individuals tested. This paper describes some aspects of biomarker assays, the possible use of susceptibility measures in biomonitoring protocols, and the need for evaluation of disease relevance. A population study involving epidemiologists, geneticists, toxicologists, statisticians, and physicians is proposed to determine the disease relevance of these biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: University of Vermont College of Medicine, Genetics Laboratory, Burlington 05401, USA. ralberti@moose.uvm.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nicklas
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: O'Neill
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D009153:Mutagens