1. the majority of carcinogens are also mutagens; 2. the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of many carcinogens depend upon their conversion to electrophilic derivatives that react with nucleophilic sites within DNA; 3. the extent of DNA adduct formation can often be correlated with the magnitude of mutagenic and carcinogenic responses; and 4. the activation of certain proto-oncogenes can be...

The transformation of chemicals is important in carcinogenesis, both in bioactivation and detoxification. Major advances in the past 20 years include appreciation of the migration of reactive electrophiles, the ability of Phase II conjugating enzymes to activate chemicals, understanding of the human enzymes, the realization that DNA modification can result from endogenous chemicals, and the dem...