Symposium on Benzene Metabolism, Toxicity and Carcinogenesis. March 14-16, 1988, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Proceedings.

Introduction There is a 3-fold rationale for convening this Symposium on Benzene Metabolism, Toxicity and Carcinogen-esis. Benzene is a very important chemical. Among the organic chemicals known to be human carcinogens, ben-zene is produced in the greatest volume and with the widest possibilities for human exposure in the workplace and in the general environment. Second, there is much lrecent regulatory activity aimed at setting standards or guidelines to limit the health hazard of this known human leukemogen. Effective public health activity clearly depends upon the best scientific information. Most important , however, is the third rationale for this conference, that this is a very exciting time in the science of benzene toxicology. This excitement will be evident from the presentations, as well as from the number and caliber of the attendees at this meeting. Accordingly, the goal of this meeting is to present as many as possible of the exiciting approaches to benzene research currently being used around the world. To that end, the Organizing Committee has invited presentations from diverse groups with differing scientific approaches and viewpoints; the common theme being the possibility of obtaining insight into the mechanism by which this ubiquitous cornerstone of our chemical era produces its adverse effects in humans. This is a research conference. Our intention is not to resolve controversy; it is to present whatever controversies exist about the science underlying benzene toxicity to the attendees, with the aim of increasing the likelihood that further scientiflc studies will address and diminish these uncertainties. It is not a consensus conference, nor do we intend to provide direct advice to regulatory agencies. However, we firmly believe that furthering the understanding of the basic mechanisms of benzene toxicity will inevitably lead to beneficial public health decisions capable of preventing the toxicity of this potent chemical. Being an introductory speaker in a conference on a subject as broad as benzene is in essence a license to shoot at any target. I will use this license indiscriminately, choosing different areas based in part upon my own interests , a sense of the need to challenge certain assumptions , and the recognition that many very important areas can be ignored as they will be covered in depth and with much greater expertise by conference participants. What follows is an idiosyncratic approach to the overall topic. My major point, and one that I believe summarizes the insight provided by much …