These reviews provide an overview of the mature science of cancer epidemiology and the rapidly evolving field of cancer genetics. Parkin describes the large and still mainly unexplained international variations in cancer incidence, which have puzzled epidemiologists for at least 40 years. Boffeta summarizes environmental and occupational carcinogenesis. McCullough and Giovan-nucci navigate the minefield of diet and cancer, while Calle and Thun focus specifically on obesity. Kinlen reviews viral carcinogenesis and the effects of immuno-suppression, including his own remarkable discoveries in relation to childhood leukaemia and population mixing. Viral carcinogenesis is also discussed by Haverkos, who focuses on the co-carcinogenic effects of viruses and chemicals in relation to cervical cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. Pike et al. update the long-established thesis that incidence patterns for cancers of the breast and other hormone-dependent tissues reflect the mitotic effects of hormonal stimulation. They suggest that chemoprevention may soon have a major impact on several of these cancers. Wakeford's comprehensive review of radiation carcinogenesis covers microwaves, low-frequency electric and magnetic waves and ultrasound as well as ionizing radiation. Stiller discusses the genetics as well as the epidemiology of childhood cancers. Highly penetrant genes are reviewed by Nagy et al., and Bocchetta and Carbone discuss the mechanisms by which these and other genes affect carcinogenesis. Franco et al. review the epidemiological association between SV40 and human cancer, and Fisher and Fisher review the risk factors associated with the marked increase of lymphomas in recent decades.
Wu et al. provide a detailed account of recent work (much of it from the MD Anderson) on polymorphic variants and their effects on susceptibility to tobacco carcinogenesis. They discuss candidate genes for carcinogen metabolism, methylation, DNA repair, cell cycle control and apoptosis, and their associations with phenotypic markers as well as with cancer. Vineis also discusses individual susceptibility to carcinogens due to polymorphisms in genes involved in carcinogen meta-bolism and DNA repair, focusing on colon cancer. Houlston and Peto review the potential importance of low-penetrance genes and the ways in which they may be discovered.
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